Bangladesh first in South Asia to sign 3 ILO conventions

Labour and Employment Adviser Brigadier General (Retd) Dr M. Sakhawat Hussain signed the ratification documents at the State Guest House Jamuna, in the presence of Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus.

Lutfey Siddiqi, Special Envoy of the Chief Adviser for International Affairs; Md. Mahmudul Hossain Khan, Secretary of the Chief Adviser’s Office; Dr Md. Sanwar Jahan Bhuiyan, and ILO Country Director in Bangladesh Max Tuñón, along with other officials were also present.

The three conventions are: Convention No. 155 (1981) – Occupational Safety and Health; Convention No. 187 (2006) – Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health; and Convention No. 190 (2019) – Prevention of Violence and Harassment at Work.

Among them, Conventions 155 and 187 were declared “fundamental” by the ILO in 2022.

Speaking at the event, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus said the day marks a major milestone for labour rights in Bangladesh.

“After the Rana Plaza tragedy in 2013, the government at the time made promises but did very little. When I took charge, I made labour rights my first priority. I said repeatedly that it must be done—and today, we have done it,” he said.

He thanked everyone who worked hard to make it happen. “This is just the beginning. Signing the documents is only the first step. We must now raise awareness about the rights these conventions guarantee and ensure they are implemented,” he added.

The Chief Adviser also said the signing fulfils a personal promise. “The journey that began with the Rana Plaza tragedy has reached a major checkpoint today. Those workers gave us their lives—this is a step in repaying that debt.”

Labour Adviser M. Sakhawat Hossain said, it’s a proud day for the interim government.

“This was a big challenge, and we have overcome it through hard work and strong leadership from the Chief Adviser. We’ve been committed to protecting workers’ rights from the start.”

Special Envoy Lutfey Siddiqi said this journey wasn’t easy, but it was rewarding.

“Our experience at the Geneva Convention was unforgettable, and I’m grateful to everyone who worked on this,” he added.

ILO Country Director Max Tuñón congratulated the government and reaffirmed the ILO’s commitment to helping with implementation.

He also encouraged Bangladesh to adopt a labour charter supported by all political parties ahead of the February elections.

He promised continued support in implementing the recommendations of the Labour Law Reform Commission.

He also suggested adopting a labour charter based on the consensus of the political parties contesting the elections to be held in February.

With these latest ratifications, Bangladesh has now ratified all 10 fundamental ILO conventions, becoming the only country in South Asia to do so.

This reflects the interim government’s strong commitment to protecting workers and promoting international labour standards, reports UNB.