Labour rights experts on Saturday expressed concern that opportunities to safeguard labour rights in Bangladesh have steadily diminished, despite claims of progress.

Speaking at a workshop titled ‘Labour Law Amendment and Protection of Labour Rights,’ jointly organised by the Solidarity Center and the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies, they noted that amendments to labour laws have not met expectations, failing to offer adequate protection for workers across various sectors.

Rights advocates highlighted ongoing complications in forming trade unions and pointed out that penalties for employers who violate labour laws have yet to be increased.

They called for comprehensive amendments to the labour laws, emphasising that these changes are necessary not just due to international pressure, but to ensure a discrimination-free labour environment and uphold the civic status of workers for their wellbeing.

Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies executive director Sultan Uddin Ahmed moderated the workshop.

Labour leaders claimed that there has been little visible progress in providing proper compensation to injured workers, and key demands such as increasing maternity leave, preventing sexual harassment in the workplace, and expediting the resolution of delayed judicial processes in labour courts remain unmet.

They highlighted ongoing disparities in labour rights stemming from the Labour Act and the EPZ Labour Act, urging that workers in export processing zones be brought under the same legal protections.

 Bangladesh Trade Union Sangha general seretary Chowdhury Ashiqul Alam said that changes related to labour rights were seldom implemented without international pressure.

He pointed out that many workers faced barriers in seeking legal recourse because they lack appointment letters, which were often not provided by employers at the time of recruitment.

Ashik also raised concerns about widespread issues regarding trade union registration, including threshold requirements, and called for greater accountability of trade unions for the benefit of workers.

Solidarity Center Country program director AKM Nasim stressed the need for strong trade unions to effectively advocate for workers’ demands.

He cautioned that reducing the registration threshold for trade unions might lead to the emergence of ‘weak’ unions, potentially resulting in multiple unions within a single factory, which could leave some workers unrepresented.

Labour leaders said that it was a significant weakness that both the Tripartite Consultative Council and the Tripartite Committee on Labour Law Amendment currently only possess the authority to make recommendations.

They urged the government to take proactive measures to amend labour laws in light of changing circumstances.

 Labour rights activists also said that lawyers and judges in labour courts should play a constructive role, and that employers should be more sensitive to workers’ rights to organise and engage in collective bargaining to strengthen unions.

Trade union leaders Rajekuzzaman Ratan, Tapan Dutt, AM Nazimuddin, Abul Kalam Azad, Sakil Akhtar Chowdhury, Pulak Ranjan Dhar, Shahidullah Badal, AAM Fayez Hossain, Abul Hossain, and Salauddin Swapan were among those who contributed to the discussion.