Labour law to be amended by July, says labour secretary

The government would incorporate the recommendations made by the Labour Reform Commission and make required amendments to the labour law by July.

Also labour inspection system will be digitised and brought under real-time monitoring framework.

Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE) secretary AHM Shafiquzzaman on Wednesday made the remarks at a validation workshop on ‘labour inspection assessment’ jointly organized by Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) and the International Labour Organization (ILO).

The event aimed to present and validate the findings and recommendations from a comprehensive assessment of the country’s labour inspection system.

Addressing at the event, the secretary announced significant reforms aimed at modernizing and strengthening labour inspection mechanisms.

“We have planned to amend the Bangladesh Labour Act by July. In doing so, we will aim to incorporate the recommendations proposed by the Labour Reform Commission,” he stated.

Highlighting the ministry’s reform agenda, he added, “Efforts will be made to bring labour inspection activities under an effective monitoring framework. Key services and activities of DIFE and the Department of Labour will be fully digitized, enabling real-time monitoring by the highest authority of DIFE and MoLE.”

He emphasized the transformative role of data and technology in labour governance, stating that this digital system will also facilitate timely and need-based interventions through enhanced research and data analysis on the workplace.

He further noted the necessity of institutional strengthening and added to ensure more effective labour inspections, it is important to expand the organogram to allow for new inspector recruitment as well as increased promotion opportunities for existing officials.

ILO Bangladesh Country Director Tuomo Poutiainen emphasized the importance of continuous evaluation and evidence-based approaches to labour inspection.

 “To ensure effective labour inspection, it is vital to continuously evaluate where we stand and identify the key challenges facing the labour inspectorate,” he said.

Stressed the need for strategic planning through data, he said in a context of limited resources, utilizing accurate inspection data to prioritize actions is crucial.

At the beginning of the event Md Matiur Rahaman joint inspector general of DIFE emphasised the importance of identifying existing gaps in the current labour inspection system and addressing them with effective solutions to restructure the inspection mechanism in a way that truly serves the welfare of working people.

munni_fe@yahoo.com