The Bangladesh Trade Union Federation has warned of launching a tougher movement if the “Labour Ordinance (2025) on Workers’ Rights and Protection and Reform of the Labour Sector” is not swiftly enacted into law.
The warning came from a human chain programme held in front of the National Press Club on Saturday afternoon.
The speakers at the event expressed frustration over the prolonged delay in fulfilling workers’ longstanding demands.
They noted that among the 133 ordinances introduced by the interim government, the Labour Law Amendment Ordinance (2025) is particularly significant. Under constitutional provisions, the ordinance was required to be placed before Parliament and passed into law within 30 days.
According to the speakers, the 2025 Labour Ordinance proposes amendments and additions to 125 sections, including provisions to ease conditions for forming workers’ unions. They added that the ordinance incorporates recommendations made by the Labour Reform Commission and was formulated through more than a year of consultations involving workers, employers, and the government under the National Tripartite Consultative Council.
The speakers urged the government and the elected Parliament to pass the ordinance without further delay. They cautioned that failure to do so would leave workers with no option but to launch a tougher movement.
The programme was presided over by Taslima Akhter, acting president of the federation, president of Garment Workers Solidarity, and a member of the Labour Reform Commission (2024).
Other speakers included Alif Dewan, joint secretary of the federation; Aparajita Dev, general secretary of Nari Sanghati; Bacchu Bhuiyan, president of Bahumukhi Sramajibi Samiti; Belal, president of Hatirjheel Rickshaw-Van Workers Solidarity; Shahadat Howlader, president of Hatirjheel CNG Auto-rickshaw Workers Solidarity; and Shahid, an organiser of Car Union Workers Solidarity.