The newly formed government of Bangladesh has received congratulations and full support from 47 countries during discussions at the 356th Governing Body session of the International Labour Organization in Geneva.
The countries expressed their willingness to work closely with the government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, noting that it assumed office through a free, fair and credible election.
The session also discussed a case filed in June 2019 under Article 26 of the ILO Constitution by worker representatives of the International Trade Union Confederation. The complaint accused the previous government of failing to comply with ILO Conventions 81, 87 and 98.
In response, the former government submitted a five-year labour reform roadmap in 2021. Since then, progress has been reviewed in eight Governing Body sessions, with the current government presenting the ninth progress report at the latest meeting.
Representatives from participating countries voiced strong support for the present government. Out of the 56-member Governing Body, 19 member states, 28 countries from two regional groups and employers’ representatives praised the government’s commitment to legal and administrative reforms in the labour sector and called for quick resolution of the ongoing case.
Bangladesh’s delegation included Labour, Employment and Expatriates’ Welfare Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury and Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin. Also present were Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to Geneva Nahida Sobhan and Labour Secretary Abdur Rahman Tarafdar.
At the start of the discussion, Mahdi Amin conveyed greetings from the prime minister and highlighted his commitment to labour rights, worker protection and social justice. He said the government’s priorities include ensuring citizens’ rights, rule of law, freedom of speech, job creation, quality education, skills development and merit-based growth—aligned with the ILO’s Decent Work Agenda.
He also informed that a parliamentary special committee has been formed to enact the Bangladesh Labour Law Amendment Ordinance 2025 and assured that the process would be accelerated. He added that the government supports reforms developed through tripartite discussions to ensure inclusive and sustainable development.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to democracy and workers’ rights, he sought continued support from the ILO and other stakeholders.
After detailed discussions, it was unanimously decided that the next session on the case will be held in March next year.