Workers’ rights, job opportunities among govt priorities: Mahdi Amin

Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin said on Wednesday that protecting workers’ rights and creating extensive employment opportunities are among the government’s top priorities.

The spokesperson for the prime minister’s office made the remarks during a courtesy meeting with a high-level delegation from the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) held at the conference room of the Ministry of Labour and Employment at the Secretariat.

The adviser said the meeting also discussed the implementation of universal laws and policies to preserve the distinct economic and employment-related role of Export Processing Zones (EPZs).

Adviser Mahdi Amin said the government is working with utmost sincerity to strengthen workers’ rights. He said the government wants to move forward in collaboration with international organisations such as the ITUC and IOE, giving due consideration to their thoughtful recommendations on protecting workers’ interests.

Emphasising that protecting the overall rights and welfare of workers is one of the government’s primary objectives, Adviser Mahdi Amin said, “Creating a fair and safe working environment in every workplace, improving employer-worker relations, and establishing effective social dialogue are among the government’s key priorities. At the same time, we are working tirelessly to expand opportunities for decent employment and enhance the skills of the workforce.”

Also present at the meeting was Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury. The visiting delegation included ITUC General Secretary Luc Triangle, IOE Vice-Chair Kaiser Moyane, ILO Governing Body Member Jess Vogt, and ILO Country Director Max Tuñón, among others.

Welcoming the visiting delegation, Adviser Mahdi Amin said the visit and the tripartite discussions involving the government, workers, and employers would provide valuable support in assessing Bangladesh’s achievements in implementing the ILO roadmap and understanding the way forward.

“Under the strong leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, our government is committed to ensuring workers’ welfare, decent work, and productive employment,” he said.

Mahdi Amin further said that shortly after assuming office, the newly elected government amended the Bangladesh Labour Act to make it more relevant to current needs during the first session of the National Parliament.

He added that Bangladesh has recently ratified ILO Conventions Nos. 155, 187, and 189 to maintain international standards in labour rights and protection. At the same time, the government has taken visible steps to make the labour administration more efficient and stronger, ensure the speedy resolution of disputes, and establish effective social dialogue with all stakeholders.

Adviser Mahdi Amin said the government’s immediate priority is to formulate the Bangladesh Labour Rules as soon as possible and ensure the effective implementation of the amended Labour Act.

“Through this, we aim to ensure that every commitment made by the government is translated into tangible and visible improvements in the lives of working people,” he said.

Mahdi Amin further noted that the interests of workers and employers are complementary to each other. “We firmly believe that ensuring workers’ legitimate rights and enhancing the global competitiveness of industries can move forward simultaneously,” he said.

He added that there is no alternative to strong tripartite dialogue and effective social partnership for establishing industrial peace and ensuring sustainable economic development in the country.

As Adviser to the Prime Minister, Mahdi Amin is responsible for the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, and Ministry of Labour and Employment.

During the meeting, representatives of the ITUC and IOE highly praised the various reform-oriented measures recently undertaken in Bangladesh’s labour sector. They expressed particular satisfaction with the government’s positive initiatives to amend labour laws, simplify and expedite the trade union registration process, ensure occupational health and workplace safety for workers, and implement fair wages.

Also present were Md. Abdur Rahman Tarafder, Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment; Md. Abdur Rahim Khan, Additional Secretary; and Md. Abdus Samad Al Azad, Director General of the Department of Labour, among others.