Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury on Sunday urged the visiting Director General of the International Labour Organization, Gilbert F Houngbo, to expedite the resolution of a long-standing Article 26 case against Bangladesh, citing sweeping reforms in the country's labour sector.

An Article 26 complaint is the ILO's highest-level investigative procedure, used when a member state violates a ratified convention. The Article 26 complaint case against Bangladesh was filed in 2019 over non-observance of Conventions No. 81 (Labor Inspection), No. 87 (Freedom of Association), and No. 98 (Right to Organize), according to information available on the ILO's website.

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The call came during a bilateral meeting between the two at the minister's office, where discussions focused on modernising Bangladesh's labour sector, labour law reforms, job creation and strengthening bilateral cooperation to ensure international labour standards.

Welcoming the ILO chief, Ariful said the government remains fully committed to protecting workers' rights and ensuring a safe working environment, noting that labour reform is an ongoing process that recently culminated in the enactment of the Bangladesh Labour (Amendment) Act, 2026.

He pointed out that Bangladesh has become the first country in Asia to ratify all 10 ILO fundamental conventions, a milestone he said has enhanced the country's image in the global labour arena.

Outlining the government's roadmap, the minister said amendments to the Bangladesh Labour Rules 2015, the formation of a tripartite National Social Dialogue Forum, an independent alternative dispute resolution mechanism and a digital case management system are progressing rapidly.

He also cited plans to nationalise the Employment Injury Scheme to build an integrated social safety net covering both formal and informal sector workers, alongside the creation of a new Department of Employment that will set up employment exchanges at the district and upazila levels for self-employment and technical training.

Ariful said the government is committed to full transparency and accountability and will not tolerate irregularities or syndicates in labour migration, adding that Bangladesh is working to send workers abroad, including to Malaysia, through transparent processes at lower costs.

He called for enhanced ILO technical and institutional cooperation to help Bangladesh tackle challenges from technology and global change, noting the appointment of new labour inspectors as part of progress on the ILO roadmap.

Houngbo, in turn, praised Bangladesh's ratification of the fundamental conventions and the new labour law, and paid tribute to the recent student-led mass uprising and the interim government's reform-driven leadership.

He assured continued ILO policy and technical support, including a proposed joint mission in October, to safeguard freedom of association across all workplaces, including EPZs, protect migrant workers and support job creation.

Labour and Employment Secretary Abdur Rahman Tarafder, ILO Country Director Max Tuñón, and senior officials from both sides were present at the meeting.