Consensus reached on 79 out of 101 proposed amendments to labour law

The Tripartite Law Reform Committee, formed to amend the Bangladesh Labour Act 2006, reached a consensus on 79 out of 101 proposed amendments, while 22 remain unresolved.

The update was shared at a view exchange meeting today (30 January) with the International Labour Organisation's (ILO) technical legal team at the Labour Building in Bijoynagar, Dhaka, presided over by Labour and Employment Secretary AHM Shafiquzzaman.

The meeting reviewed the 22 unresolved proposals. 

"The government, employer and worker representatives will meet in the first week of February to finalise decisions on these remaining recommendations," the secretary said. 

According to Mohammad Hatem, a representative of the employers, efforts are underway to amend the labour law by next March. "The amendment must be done before the next ILO conference," he said. 

Employers have submitted written feedback on all 101 recommendations, and the government will make the final decision on issues where labour and employer groups fail to reach a consensus.

Disagreements remain on defining workers, trade union rights, and the formation of future welfare funds, he said, adding, "However, hopefully, we can reach a consensus through discussions soon."

Sakil Akhter Chowdhury, a labour representative and member of the Labour Reform Commission said, "Workers' representatives have provided feedback on 79 proposals out of 101. Employers have also submitted written opinions on all 101 recommendations. So far, only the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has provided a complete written response from the government side."

Before the Tripartite Consultative Council meeting, the top labour forums will hold final discussions on all proposals before presenting their views