B Mirror Desk : The Labour Reform Commission has proposed the establishment of a national minimum wage applicable to all workers, with a plan for it to be reviewed every three years. In a report submitted to Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on April 21, the commission called on the government to initiate the registration of all workers and provide them with identity cards to formalize their employment status.
Additionally, the commission advocated for comprehensive legal protections for all workers across the nation. It also recommended that all female workers be granted six months of fully paid maternity leave, as stated in a press release. Furthermore, the commission suggested that all workers who lost their lives during the July movement be officially recognized as “martyrs.”
Commission Chief Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed, who is also the executive director of the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS), pointed out that Bangladesh currently has one of the lowest compensation rates for workers who die on the job. “We have proposed that the compensation be determined based on a worker’s life cycle,” he mentioned during a press briefing following the report’s submission.
He noted that the reform commission has identified 25 key recommendations, considering the broader landscape of labor issues in the country. The commission chief emphasized the need for measures that ensure job security and workplace safety for all employees.
Among the most critical recommendations are the establishment of fair national and sector-specific wages, the relaxation of trade union regulations to protect workers’ rights to free expression, the promotion of structured industrial relations and social dialogue, the assurance of a safe working environment and occupational health, and the improvement of transparency, accountability, and accessibility within labor-related government institutions. The commission also proposed the creation of a contingency fund dedicated to worker welfare.
The commission also recommended essential revisions to the Bangladesh Labour Act of 2006, aligning with these suggestions, with the goal of presenting an updated report to the International Labour Organization (ILO) by 2026. Furthermore, it advocated for the creation of a permanent labour commission, acknowledging the vital importance of the labour sector in the country’s development.
To foster a fair and inclusive work environment, the commission has suggested several significant reforms, such as replacing gender-specific language in labour laws with more suitable alternatives and discouraging the use of informal pronouns like “you (tumi/tui)” in professional settings.
On November 17, 2024, the interim government established a 10-member Labour Reform Commission, appointing Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed as its leader.
