The Labour Reform Commission has recommended the establishment of a permanent minimum wage commission to determine a national minimum wage applicable to all workers, regardless of whether they are employed in the government, non-government, or private sectors.

The proposal, submitted in the commission’s final report to the interim government on Monday, also includes a comprehensive set of reforms aimed at strengthening workers’ rights and ensuring long-term social protection.

Chaired by Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed, the commission submitted its final report to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at his official residence, Jamuna, in Dhaka.

Later in the day, Sultan briefed journalists at Shrama Bhaban, outlining the main recommendations of the report.

Among the most notable proposals is the revision of national and sector-specific minimum wages every three years, with provisions to ensure that sectoral wages do not fall below the national standard.

The commission further recommended that wages be differentiated based on the nature of work, level of occupational risk, industry and geographical location.

To improve accountability in wage disbursement, the commission proposed a mandatory penalty for delayed payments. If wages are not paid by a rescheduled date following prior notice, employers would be liable to pay a fine equivalent to 0.5 percent of the unpaid wages for each day of delay, up to a maximum of 30 days.

The commission also called for the creation of a national workforce registration system and database to formalise informal and expatriate workers, offering them legal recognition and protection under labour laws.

Addressing broader labour rights issues, Sultan said the recommendations are intended to dismantle the ‘non-bargaining barriers’ faced by informal sector workers.

He stressed the urgent need for policies that would allow all workers, including those outside the formal economy, to be brought under a unified legal and social protection framework.

The proposed reforms also include universal access to a social safety net covering injury, illness, and early retirement, alongside insurance mechanisms for occupational hazards and casualties.

The commission has recommended a minimum of 60 days’ maternity leave along with neonatal benefits, the establishment of daycare facilities in labour-intensive areas and the implementation of workplace safety measures based on the Accord protocols developed after the Rana Plaza tragedy.

Further recommendations include the enactment of policies in line with the 2009 High Court directive to combat sexual abuse and violence in the workplace, and the expansion of labour courts to address worker grievances more efficiently.

To foster more inclusive work environments, the commission urged action to eliminate discrimination based on gender, race, religion, ethnicity or group identity.

It proposed the formation of workplace cooperation committees and arbitration bodies at every industrial unit to address worker complaints through dialogue rather than street protests.

Criticising the shortcomings of previous efforts to eradicate child labour, the commission recommended the publication of a white paper reviewing those initiatives.

The report also addressed the issue of outsourcing, recommending that outsourced workers engaged in permanent roles be regularised.

To ensure implementation of its recommendations, the commission suggested that the interim government could issue an ordinance to establish the national worker database and begin the formal registration process.

To institutionalise worker protection and development, the commission proposed the formation of four new government departments, respectively tasked with factory inspection, labour and industrial affairs, skill development and employment, and worker welfare and social safety.

Sultan concluded by suggesting that a national labour conference be held to chart a roadmap for implementation, and encouraged workers to press political parties to incorporate the recommendations into their election manifestoes.

Commission members Mahfuzul Haque, Zakir Hossain, Tapan Dutta, AKM Nasim, M Kamran T Rahman, Chowdhury Ashikul Alam, Shakil Akhter Chowdhury, Anwar Hossain, Farrukh Ahmed, Rajekuzzaman Ratan, Taslima Akhter and Ariful Islam were also present at the briefing.