Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Bangladesh Charles Whiteley on Wednesday said aligning labour law with international standards will be an “essential element” for the European Parliament and the Commission in considering Bangladesh’s application for market access, the GSP+. “Bangladesh has the option to accede to GSP+ which is the next most generous GSP programme after the Everything but Arms (EBA),” he said while speaking at a seminar in Dhaka. Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi attended the seminar as the chief guest while President of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) Md Sameer Sattar delivered welcome remarks. Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Lokman Hossain Miah, among others, spoke at the seminar. The DCCI and European Union Delegation to Bangladesh jointly hosted the seminar, titled “Unlocking Trade and Investment for European Companies in Bangladesh.” Read: EU urged to extend transition period of GSP up to 6 years for smooth graduation of Bangladesh The EU ambassador said the implementation of the National Action Plan on the labour sector, which Bangladesh agreed with the EU, will be key deciding factor for GSP+. “We are closely following the ongoing amendments of the Bangladesh Labour Act. We hope that the amendments will be effective with full transparency, in consultation with tripartite stakeholders, and with technical assistance from ILO,” he said. The envoy said Bangladesh is a rising economy with a great story of economic development and social progress. The graduation to a lower middle-income and to a developing country status are historic milestones which bring new opportunities and which call for a reinvigoration of EU-Bangladesh ties, he said.

Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has returned home from Geneva, wrapping up her three-day official visit to Switzerland. A regular flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the prime minister and her entourage landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport early Saturday (June 17 at 1:55 am). Earlier, the flight took off from Geneva International Airport at 11:50am local time (3:50pm Bangladesh time) on Friday. The Prime Minister exchanged pleasentaries with the passengers in the flight and inquired about their well-beings. Read: PM leaves Geneva for home ending 3-day visit The PM went to Geneva on June 13 to attend the "World of Work Summit: Social Justice for All" held on June 14 and 15 in the Swiss city. She addressed the plenary session of 'World of Work Summit 2023' at Palais de Nations on Wednesday. The ILO's summit is a high-level forum for global voices to address the need for increased, coordinated and coherent action in support of social justice. The summit brought together over a dozen heads of state and government, high-level representatives from the United Nations, other international organizations, and employers’ and workers’ organizations. Read: Next general election to be held in time: PM Hasina tells Geneva reception Hasina also had two separate meetings with President of South Africa Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa and President of Malta Dr George Vella. Besides, she held meetings separately with UNHCR chief Flippo Grandi, Prince Rahim Aga Khan, President of the Swiss Confederation Alain Berset and Director General of International Labour Organisation (ILO) Gilbert F. Houngbo there on the day. After the meeting with Swiss President Berset, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Knowledge and Skills enhancement between Bangladesh and Switzerland was signed. In the evening, the PM attended a dinner with high level dignitaries hosted by the ILO Director General at its headquarters. Read: WTO chief meets PM Hasina, wants Dhaka to reduce subsidies on fisheries On June 15, she joined “A talk at the WEF”, followed by a meeting with WEF founder Prof Klaus Schwab at WEF Office. She also addressed an event on “New Economy and Society in Smart Bangladesh” organised by the World Economic Forum (WEF) there. Besides, Qatar Minister of Labour Dr Ali Bin Samik Al Marri and WTO Director General Dr Okonjo-Iweala separately met her at her place of residence. Hasina also attended a civic reception in the evening. Read more: PM takes regular commercial flight on the way home from Geneva, exchanges pleasantries with passengers

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka for Geneva, Switzerland on Tuesday (June 13, 2023) morning to attend the two-day "World of Work Summit: Social Justice for All" to be held in the Swiss city on June 14-15. A commercial flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the prime minister departed Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 10.01 am. The flight is scheduled to land at Geneva International airport at 5:30 pm local time (9:30 pm Bangladesh Time). On June 14, UNHCR chief Flippo Grandi will call on the prime minister at the bilateral room of Hotel President Wilson. Later the PM will call on President of the Swiss Confederation Alain Berset at Palais de Nations. After the call-on there will be a possibility of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Knowledge and Skills enhancement between Bangladesh and Switzerland. Read: Work together to sustain national development: PM Hasina tells Awami League members In the afternoon, the prime minister will address the Plenary of 'World of Work Summit 2023' at Palais de Nations. On her arrival there, she will be greeted by ADG and Regional Director of ILO. There will be a red carpet reception and Guard of Honour from the gate to the meeting venue. She will also have a call on with President of Malta Dr. George Vella. Read: PM Hasina wants greater cooperation between Bangladesh and Indian armies In the evening, the PM will attend a dinner with high level dignitaries hosted by the DG ILO at its headquarters. On June 15, she will attend the 'A talk at the WEF', followed by a meeting with founder of WEF Prof Klaus Schwab at WEF Office. There, she will address at the event on "New Economy and Society in Smart Bangladesh" organised by the World Economic Forum. In the evening, WTO DG Dr. Okonjo- Iweala will call on her at Hotel President Wilson. She will also attend a community event in the evening. Read: Volatile global situation likely to worsen further: PM Hasina tells parliament Hasina will leave Geneva at 11am on June 16 and she is expected to arrive in Dhaka in the early hours of June 17. "The World of Work Summit 2023: Social Justice for All" is a high-level forum for global voices to address the need for increased, coordinated and coherent action in support of social justice, according to organisers. It will provide an opportunity to discuss and inform the proposal to forge a Global Coalition for Social Justice, which was welcomed by the Governing Body of the International Labour Office at its 347th Session. A number of high-level guests, including former President of France, Francois Hollande, former President of Panama, Juan Carlos Varela, and the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Kailash Satyarthi, as well as representatives of employers and workers, will address the conference. Read: President Erdogan and PM Hasina vow to take Dhaka-Ankara ties to new height

The number of children without access to social protection is increasing year-on-year, leaving them at risk of poverty, hunger and discrimination, according to a new report released today by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and UNICEF. According to the report, an additional 50 million children (aged 0-15) missed out on a critical social protection provision – specifically, child benefits (paid in cash or tax credits) – between 2016 and 2020, driving up the total to 1.46 billion children under 15 globally. “Ultimately, strengthened efforts to ensure adequate investment in universal social protection for children, ideally through universal child benefits to support families at all times, is the ethical and rational choice, and the one that paves the way to sustainable development and social justice,” Shahra Razavi, director of Social Protection Department at the ILO, said. Child and family benefit coverage rates fell or stagnated in every region in the world between 2016 and 2020, leaving no country on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of achieving substantial social protection coverage by 2030, as per the report. In Latin America and the Caribbean, for example, coverage fell significantly from approximately 51 percent to 42 percent. In many other regions, coverage has stalled and remains low. In Central and South Asia, East Asia and Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Western Asia, and North Africa coverage rates have been at around 21 percent, 14 percent, 11 percent and 28 percent respectively since 2016. Failure to provide children with adequate social protection leaves them vulnerable to poverty, disease, missed education, and poor nutrition, and increases risk of child marriage and child labour. Globally, children are twice as likely as adults to live in extreme poverty – those struggling to survive on less than US$ 1.90 (PPP*) a day – approximately 356 million children. A billion children also live in multidimensional poverty – meaning without access to education, health, housing, nutrition, sanitation, or water. Children living in multidimensional poverty increased by 15 percent during the Covid-19 pandemic, reversing previous progress in reducing child poverty and highlighting the urgent need for social protection. Moreover, the pandemic highlighted that social protection is a critical response in times of crisis. Nearly every government in the world either rapidly adapted existing schemes or introduced new social protection programmes to support children and families, but most fell short of making permanent reforms to protect against future shocks, according to the report. “As families face increasing economic hardship, food insecurity, conflict, and climate-related disasters, universal child benefits can be a lifeline,” said Natalia Winder-Rossi, UNICEF Director of Social Policy and Social Protection. “There is an urgent need to strengthen, expand and invest in child-friendly and shock-responsive social protection systems. This is essential to protect children from living in poverty and increase resilience particularly among the poorest households.” The report emphasizes that all countries, irrespective of their level of development, have a choice: whether to pursue a “high-road” strategy of investment in reinforcing social protection systems, or a “low-road” strategy that misses out on necessary investments and will leave millions of children behind. To reverse the negative trend, ILO and UNICEF urge policymakers to take decisive steps to attain universal social protection for all children, including: ·         Investing in child benefits which offer a proven and cost-effective way to combat child poverty and ensure children thrive. ·         Providing a comprehensive range of child benefits through national social protection systems that also connect families to crucial health and social services, such as free or affordable high-quality childcare. ·         Building social protection systems that are rights-based, gender-responsive, inclusive, and shock responsive to address inequities and deliver better results for girls and women, migrant children, and children in child labour for example. ·         Securing sustainable financing for social protection systems by mobilizing domestic resources and increasing budget allocation for children. Strengthening social protection for parents and caregivers by guaranteeing access to decent work and adequate benefits, including unemployment, sickness, maternity, disability, and pensions.  

The International Labour Organization (ILO) Tokyo office has expressed Japan's interest in further supporting and collaborating for human rights due diligence – a process for identifying, preventing, mitigating, and accounting for human rights impacts – in Bangladesh. A key component of human rights due diligence is meaningful engagement with stakeholders, particularly rights-holders such as employees, community members, human rights defenders, supply chain workers, and consumers. Read: BGMEA urges global brands, buyers to adopt strategies for promoting mutual growth A delegation comprising high officials from the ILO Tokyo office paid a courtesy call on BGMEA President Faruque Hassan in the capital Monday. The delegation, led by ILO Tokyo Office Programme Coordinator Yuki Kobayashi included Training and Research Officer Arisa Haboshi and Research Manager Kyohei Yabu. Syed Niaz, team leader of Better Work Bangladesh, was also present. BGMEA vice-presidents Md Nasir Uddin, and Miran Ali; directors Barrister Shehrin Salam Oishee, Abdullah Hil Rakib, Barrister Vidiya Amrit Khan and Inamul Haq Khan also attended the meeting. Read: BGMEA urges Rajuk to allocate land for apparel club for foreign nationals They discussed the possible scope of collaboration to carry forward the achievements made by Bangladesh's readymade garments industry particularly in the area of workplace safety, occupational safety and health, workers' rights and their well-being. Faruque gave an overview of how safety initiatives alongside extensive training of workers jointly taken by the government, brands, and the ILO have transformed Bangladesh's readymade garments (RMG) sector into "one of the safest industries in the world." He also highlighted the initiatives and programmes, including the ILO's Better Work Program in the RMG sector to promote decent working conditions in the garment factories in Bangladesh.

More than one in five people employed – almost 23 per cent – have experienced violence and harassment at work, whether physical, psychological or sexual, according to a new analysis by the International Labour Organization (ILO), Lloyd's Register Foundation (LRF) and Gallup. "The Experiences of Violence and Harassment at Work: A global first survey" assesses the extent of the problem and looks at the factors that may prevent people from talking about what they have gone through, including shame, guilt or a lack of trust in institutions, or because such unacceptable behaviours are seen as "normal." "Violence and harassment at work is difficult to measure. The report found that only half of victims worldwide had disclosed their experiences to another person, and often only after they had suffered repeated incidents," the ILO said. "The most common reasons given for non-disclosure were waste of time and fear for their reputation. Women were more likely to share their experiences than men (60.7 percent compared to 50.1 percent)." Globally, 17.9 percent of employed men and women said they had experienced psychological violence and harassment in their working life, and 8.5 percent had faced physical violence and harassment, with more men than women experiencing this. Of respondents, 6.3 percent reported facing sexual violence and harassment, with women being particularly exposed, the ILO said. Young people, migrant workers, and salaried women and men have been the most exposed to violence, according to the UN labour agency. Young women were twice as likely as young men to have faced sexual violence and harassment, while migrant women were almost twice as likely as non-migrants to report sexual violence and harassment. More than three out of five victims said they had experienced violence and harassment multiple times, and for the majority, the most recent incident took place within the past five years. Read more: Sexual harassment, misconduct went on unchecked at Al Jazeera, staff allege: BBC investigation "It's painful to learn that people face violence and harassment not just once but multiple times in their working lives," Manuela Tomei, ILO assistant director-general for governance, rights and dialogue, said. "Psychological violence and harassment is the most prevalent across countries, and women are particularly exposed to sexual violence and harassment. The report tells us about the enormity of the task ahead to end violence and harassment in the world of work. I hope it will expedite action on the ground and towards the ratification and implementation of ILO Convention 190." The ILO's Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (or 190) and Recommendation (No. 206) are the first international labour standards to provide a common framework to prevent, remedy and eliminate violence and harassment in the world of work, including gender-based violence and harassment. The Convention includes the specific recognition, for the first time in international law, of the right of everyone to a world of work, free from violence and harassment, and outlines the obligations of signatories towards this end. Read more: 63.51% women in Bangladesh face online harassment: Study  

The process of amending the Bangladesh Labour Law will be completed by mid-2023 and the amended law will be also applied to all industrial zones in the country, Law Minister Anisul Huq has said. There are some confusions as to which of the two – the Bangladesh Labour Act and the Bangladesh EPZ Labour Act – will apply to the newly established industrial zones. But the amended Bangladesh Labour Act will be applied to Bangladesh industrial zones, the minister declared. The law minister was speaking at the 346th session of the Governing Body of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Switzerland’s Geneva. Bangladesh continues its efforts to resolve the complaints raised under Article 26 of the ILO Constitution, said Anisul. Read more: Bangladesh considers labour rights related recommendations from US, EU, ILO with due importance: PM's Adviser After submitting the report to the meeting of the Governing Body of the ILO last March, the Bangladesh government has made significant progress in the implementation of the roadmap in about seven months, he added. “The government has tried to secure progress in the four clusters of the roadmap to improve the overall labour situation in the country.” The minister also said the government has already amended the Bangladesh Labour Code and enacted the Bangladesh EPZ Labour Code. In this process, the observations of the ILO Committee of experts have been considered. Assuring ILO, he said the process of revising the Labour Law has been started as the next phase of legal reformation. “So far, 17 stakeholders have received proposals for amendments. The Tripartite Working Group is seriously working on compiling these amendment proposals.” Read more: ILO offers help for skills development of workforce in Bangladesh The review committee will further discuss the recommendations or proposals compiled and seek the approval of the National Tripartite Consultative Council, he added. Regarding trade union registration, the law minister said this process has been fully digitised to ensure greater accountability and transparency. The Department of Labour with the help of its four industry related institutes and 32 labour welfare centers is providing training to workers and employers on the trade union registration process, he added. In this regard, regular training is being given to the concerned officers. A pre-application service has been introduced by the Department of Labour to assist, he said. Read more: BIDA, ILO sign deal to streamline one-stop service for investors “Trade union registration process will be simplified further, if necessary.” Referring to the significant measures taken by the Bangladesh government to strengthen labour inspection and enforcement in line with the roadmap, the minister said, "We are committed to continue engagement with domestic and foreign social partners and other stakeholders for bringing qualitative changes in the labour sector." He also mentioned handing over of the document of ratification of ILO Convention 138 to its Director General the 344th session of the Governing Body. “In January this year, the Bangladesh government also ratified Protocol 29 of the ILO Convention on Forced Labour, 1930. Clearly, these are a demonstration of our strong commitment to ILO labour standards.” Read More: ILO, FBCCI team up to boost workplace safety, healthcare in 10 sectors The law minister is leading the Bangladesh delegation in the ILO session that started from October 31.

Prime Minister's Adviser for Private Industry and Investment Salman F. Rahman has said Bangladesh considers the recommendations of the United States of America, European Union and the International Labor Organization (ILO) on labor rights with due importance. Speaking at the virtual meeting of the US-Bangladesh labor working group on Thursday, Rahman detailed the steps taken by the current government in the labor sector. The Prime Minister's Adviser for Private Industry and Investment and US Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez led the Bangladesh and US delegations respectively at the inaugural meeting of the working group. US team leader Fernandez praised the steps taken to develop the labour sector in Bangladesh and called for the full implementation of the recommendations of the International Labor Organization, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday. He pledged to provide necessary cooperation and work together for the further development of the labour sector of Bangladesh. Bangladesh and the US discussed "collaboration and assistance" to Bangladesh as it takes further steps to implement the requirements developed by Bangladesh for its International Labor Organization roadmap and adhere to internationally recognized labor rights.

International Labour Organization (ILO) Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific Chihoko Asada-Miyakawa has said Bangladesh needs skills development for its huge young workforce. “This required a creative approach where the ILO could also help,” she said during a meeting with the leaders of Bangladesh Employers’ Federation (BEF). This was her first visit to Bangladesh in the capacity of the Regional Director, BEF said on Tuesday.The Regional Director (RD) was accompanied by the ILO Country Director Tuomo Poutiainen and other senior officials from ILO Dhaka office. BEF members, former Presidents, and other sectoral representatives were also present.The RD identified inequality to be one of the biggest developmental challenges for Asia and the Pacific. She believed the region needed to prioritize social protection, social dialogue, employment generation, decent work, and the basic protection of workers.Led by BEF President Ardashir Kabir, the committee members received and welcomed the RD and her colleagues. The BEF President highlighted how BEF and the ILO had been working together in Bangladesh on skills development, occupational safety and health, social dialogue, industrial relations, decent work, and other various areas. He pointed out Bangladesh’s need to prepare its workforce for the disruptions arising out of the gradual embracing of 4IR. The President hoped that the ILO would remain by Bangladesh’s side as the country pursued its goals while going through the different stages of development. He believed the new RD’s guidance could take the region as well as Bangladesh’s partnership with the ILO to the next level. The BEF Committee members presented a bouquet, crest, and gift to the RD. The Bangladesh government has been actively pursuing workers’ safety, social protection, and decent work conditions during the last few decades. The country has also updated its rules and laws to make those sustainable and practical.The parties exchanged views on ILO’s support for Bangladesh’s development and the need for future cooperation under the changing global scenario.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) signed an agreement Wednesday to enhance workplace safety and healthcare facilities in ten priority economic sectors. They will conduct several capacity-building and promotional activities at institutional and enterprise levels. These activities will be supported by ILO's RMG programme funded by Canada and the Netherlands, according to a media statement. Under the agreement, 15 safety units will be set up in electronic and electrical, chemical, plastic, light engineering, leather, food processing, furniture, printing and packaging, domestic apparel and steel rerolling industries. Simultaneously, 2,400 safety representatives and 100 safety committees will be developed to improve awareness and capacity on workplace safety and health among employers and workers. ILO Bangladesh Country Director Tuomo Poutiainen said: "We are pleased to join forces with the FBCCI to promote safety culture and practices in priority industries." "We hope that our collective efforts will help prevent many occupational accidents, injuries and diseases and save countless lives." FBCCI President Md Jashim Uddin said: "Ensuring the safety of workers is our utmost priority. We have teamed up with the ILO to invest in strong and functional safety units, safety committees and safety representatives." "Strengthening workplace safety and health at institutional and enterprise levels will make our factories safer and more productive which will benefit the national economy." Also read: BIDA, ILO sign deal to streamline one-stop service for investors