Staff Correspondent

Bangladesh has strongly demanded a more democratic and non-discriminatory global labor system at the 114th International Labor Conference (ILC) of the International Labor Organization (ILO).

Bangladesh's Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury made the call while delivering his speech on behalf of the country during the plenary session of the conference being held in Geneva, Switzerland on Tuesday.

Juan Castillo, the Minister of Labor and Social Security of Uruguay, presided over this special session.

At the beginning of his address, the Labour Minister conveyed greetings on behalf of Bangladesh's newly elected Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. He emphasized that the primary goals of the new government are to establish human rights, workers' rights, and the rule of law.

Highlighting various current global crises, the Minister noted that livelihoods are increasingly threatened by Artificial Intelligence (AI), geopolitical conflicts, and climate change. He stressed that Palestinian and Rohingya workers, in particular, are enduring extreme hardships, and urged the international community to work collectively to overcome these challenges.

Outlining the government's initiatives to modernize the domestic labor sector, Minister Choudhury stated that the labor law has already been amended to benefit workers, and the trade union registration process has been streamlined. Furthermore, processes are underway to bring Export Processing Zones (EPZs) under the framework of the new labor law.

Underscoring Bangladesh’s significant progress in women's empowerment, the Minister announced that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has declared female education entirely free up to the higher education level, complete with stipends, to transform women into self-reliant and skilled human resources. He also mentioned that a dedicated "Gender Roadmap" is being implemented to guarantee equal rights for women in workplaces.

Reminding the forum of Bangladesh's milestone achievements in aligning with international labor standards, the Minister stated that with the recent ratification of three more ILO conventions, Bangladesh has earned the distinction of becoming the first country in Asia to ratify all fundamental ILO conventions. Currently, Bangladesh has ratified a total of 39 conventions, the highest in the Asia-Pacific region..