Bangladesh Ratifies Three ILO Conventions on Workers' Rights

BSS

Publish : 23 Oct 2025, 08:29 AM

Photo: Collected

The interim government today ratified three conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO), reaffirming its commitment to strengthening labour rights and ensuring safe, fair, and dignified workplaces for all workers.

Labour and Employment as well as Shipping Adviser Brigadier General (retd) Dr M Sakhawat Hussain signed the instruments of ratification on behalf of the government in the presence of Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna, said a press release of the Chief Adviser's Press Wing yesterday.

The three ratified conventions are: Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155); Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No. 187); and Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190). Of these, Conventions 187 and 155 were declared as fundamental conventions by the ILO in 2022.

With this step, Bangladesh has become the only country in South Asia to have ratified all 10 fundamental ILO conventions-marking a major milestone in the country's journey toward upholding international labour standards and protecting workers' rights.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus described the day as memorable one in the history of realizing the rights of working people in Bangladesh.

Recalling the 2013 Rana Plaza disaster, Chief Adviser Professor Yunus said, "After the Rana Plaza tragedy, the then government agreed to do everything. But nothing happened as per their commitment. They kept saying 'it is being done, it will be done'. But we said-'no more it is being done, it will be done'-we must do it."

"From the tragedy of Rana Plaza to today's signing, we have reached a milestone. At least we complete the paper related part," said the Chief Adviser.

He put emphasis on the implementation of the conventions to make the ratification fruitful.

Expressing gratitude to all involved in the process for their tireless efforts, Professor Yunus said, "After a long journey, we have reached our destination. This is the first step."

Noting that signing the papers is not the end, rather the real work begins, the Chief Adviser said, "We must keep our commitments that we made. What the convention says, what rights it talks about, must be conveyed to everyone. Everyone must be made aware."

Chief Adviser's Special Envoy on International Affairs Lutfey Siddiqi, Secretary of the Chief Adviser's Office (CAO) Md. Mahmudul Hossain Khan, Secretary of the Labour and Employment Ministry Dr Md Sanwar Jahan Bhuiyan, ILO Country Director for Bangladesh Max Tunon and other senior officials were present at the ratification ceremony.

ILO Country Director Max Tunon congratulated the interim government for ratifying the three conventions to ensure workers' protection.

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