Bangladesh remains among the 10 worst countries for working people in 2024, marking the eighth consecutive year since 2017, as the country struggles to improve its labor rights situation, according to the 2024 ITUC Global Rights Index released on Wednesday.

The other nine worst countries listed include Belarus, Ecuador, Egypt, Eswatini, Guatemala, Myanmar, the Philippines, Tunisia and Turkey.

The report provided a comprehensive review of workers’ rights, ranking 151 countries against 97 indicators derived from ILO Conventions and jurisprudence, making it the only database of its kind.

Countries are rated on a scale from 1 to 5+ based on their respect for workers’ rights, with violations recorded annually from April to March.

Bangladesh received a rating of 5 in the report, indicating no guarantee of rights for workers in the country.

However, State Minister for Labor, Md Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, dismissed the findings, claiming that the report is based on outdated information and does not reflect the current situation.

He asserted that Bangladesh is now the best country globally for workers’ rights.

The index, prepared by the International Trade Union Confederation, highlighted years of severe state repression faced by Bangladeshi workers, including violent crackdowns on peaceful protests and intimidation to prevent the formation of unions.

Despite allegations of obstacles in trade union registration, Nazrul Islam emphasized that the government has streamlined the process to ensure ease and transparency.

The report also detailed instances of violence against workers, including several deaths in the dominant garment sector during protests in 2023.

It noted instances of police brutality against strikes and obstacles in forming unions, particularly in the Export Processing Zones.

In 2024, a total of 22 trade unionists died for their activism in six countries, including Bangladesh, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, the Philippines and the Republic of Korea.

Among them was Shahidul Islam, a trade union leader of the Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation, who was murdered in Gazipur on April 25, 2023, following a dispute over unpaid wages at a factory.

The report highlighted that on October 30, 2023, garment workers in Dhaka clashed with police during protests for higher minimum wages, resulting in the police shooting and killing Md Rasel Hawlader, a 25-year-old maintenance machinist who was not part of the protest.

On November 9, 2023, up to 25,000 workers clashed with police, who used live bullets, batons, and tear gas, leading to the death of 26-year-old Anjuara Khatun and injuring hundreds of workers, the report mentioned.

ITUC General Secretary Luc Triangle noted that for 11 years, the Index has tracked a rapid decline in workers’ rights worldwide.

He emphasized that workers are the beating heart of democracy, and their right to be heard is crucial for the health and sustainability of democratic systems.

Triangle stressed the inseparable link between democracy, trade unions, and workers’ rights, stating that one cannot exist without the other.

Trade unions, representing a truly democratic movement, are essential for addressing trends sustainably by transcending borders, sectors, ages, genders, races, and religions to reshape power dynamics globally in every workplace, country, and institution, he mentioned.

According to the report, the Middle East and North Africa continued to rank as the world’s worst region for workers’ rights, with an average rating of 4.74, marking a significant and alarming deterioration from 4.53 in 2023.

However, the report showed that two countries, Romania and Brazil, have seen their ratings improve in 2024.

Thirteen countries saw their ratings fall in the index in 2024, demonstrating the increased threat to democratic and workers’ rights across the globe.

These countries include Costa Rica, Finland, Israel, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, Mexico, Nigeria, Qatar, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Switzerland and Venezuela.

Europe has an average rating of 2.73, down from 2.56 in 2023, continuing a rapid deterioration from 1.84 in 2014 – the biggest decline seen in any region in the world over the past 10 years, the index showed.

Luc Triangle concluded that while there have been some minor enhancements, the overall trend depicts a persistent assault on civil liberties, labor rights, and the welfare of the working class.

The Index served as a testament to the unwavering resolve of workers and trade unionists who bravely confront significant risks to uplift their peers’ livelihoods and safeguard democratic principles, he mentioned.