(BSS) – Labour, Employment and Shipping Adviser Brigadier General (Retd) Dr M Sakhawat Hossain today said the government is committed to establishing social justice at the national, regional and global levels as a responsible partner of the Global Coalition for Social Justice.

He made the remarks while attending the 355th governing body session of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva, Switzerland.

The adviser briefed the governing body members on the recent amendments to Bangladesh’s labour law, said an official handout.

He said domestic workers, farm labourers and employees of non-profit organisations have been brought under the purview of the updated act.

As pledged before the governing body, the government has also set the required number of workers at 20, instead of the previous 20 percent threshold, for registering a trade union under the revised law.

Additionally, several measures have been introduced to ease trade union registration, including relaxation of mandatory personal information requirements, withdrawal of blacklisting provisions and adjustments to information submission rules.

Dr Sakhawat Hossain said the amended law incorporates punishment and preventive measures to address workplace violence, harassment and child labour, while also prohibiting discriminatory behaviour. The revised law also mandates a review of the minimum wage every three years instead of every five.

The adviser noted that Bangladesh recently ratified ILO Conventions 155, 187 and 190, meaning the country has now endorsed all fundamental ILO conventions.

He added that all cases filed against labour leaders and trade union workers have been withdrawn over the past year.

Bangladesh will host the Asia-Pacific Social Justice Forum in Dhaka in March next year with the participation of regional countries.

During the visit, the adviser also held a bilateral meeting with Pakistan’s Human Resources Management and Overseas Employment Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain.

The two sides discussed cooperation on skill development and other areas of mutual interest.

Labour Secretary Dr M Sanowar Jahan Bhuiyan and Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Nahida Sobhan were also present.