Bangladesh’s amended labour law has triggered sharp debate over its implementation, with the government and employers claiming progress while workers and labour leaders argue that enforcement remains weak and largely tilted in favour of employers.
Passed in Parliament on April 9, the Bangladesh Labour (Amendment) Bill, 2026 replaces a 2025 ordinance and is being presented as a major reform aligned with International Labour Organization (ILO) standards.
The law introduces changes in union rights, workplace safety, dispute resolution and worker protections.
However, its real-world impact remains contested.
For many informal sector workers, the law has little relevance.
Domestic workers, transport labourers and small retail employees say they are largely unaware of its provisions and continue to work without fair wages or legal protection.
“We don’t know or benefit from labour laws,” several workers said.
Employers, particularly in the ready-made garments sector, say implementation is progressing, though not uniformly.
They argue that compliance with the Tk12,500 minimum wage is constrained by pricing pressures from international buyers.
“If buyers paid fair prices, minimum wage compliance would not be an issue,” employer representatives said.
The amended law introduces several key provisions.
These include easing trade union formation -- requiring consent from 20 workers in smaller establishments -- creating a National Social Dialogue Forum, establishing an independent dispute resolution authority, and extending maternity leave to 120 days.
It also strengthens occupational safety measures, mandates workplace welfare funds, criminalizes sexual harassment, bans forced labour and discrimination, and introduces protections against blacklisting and union harassment.
Safeguards for workers’ personal data have also been included.
The definition of “worker” has been expanded to cover temporary, seasonal and contract employees, as well as domestic workers and seafarers, though managerial staff remain excluded.
Despite these changes, labour groups have raised concerns over certain provisions.
The law reduces the number of trade unions allowed in a single factory from five to three, a move critics say could limit worker representation.
Additionally, clauses permitting dismissal over alleged “illegal movements” have been criticised as potentially restricting legitimate protests.
Labour leaders argue that key recommendations from the Labour Reform Commission were omitted, weakening protections for workers and undermining democratic rights.
Minimum wage compliance remains another point of contention.
Workers allege inconsistent enforcement, while employers maintain that challenges are largely due to global pricing structures.
Labour leaders accuse factory owners of delaying full implementation.
A broader structural concern is the exclusion of the informal sector, which accounts for around 85% of the country’s workforce.
Workers in these sectors say the law offers little practical protection, as enforcement mechanisms remain limited.
Experts highlight several ongoing challenges, including weak enforcement in informal employment, gaps in occupational safety, uneven maternity benefits, job insecurity among outsourced and daily wage workers, and limited monitoring capacity.
The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) has called for coordinated action among the government, employers, workers and global brands to ensure effective implementation.
It recommends strengthening enforcement, simplifying union rights and expanding social protection to include informal workers.
Stakeholders remain divided. BKMEA President Md Hatem said employers support most provisions and are working toward implementation, though wage compliance remains difficult.
“Except for the definition of workers, we support the law. Some factories cannot fully implement the minimum wage due to buyer prices,” he said.
Garment workers’ leader Moshrefa Mishu rejected this assessment.
“A law that pleases owners cannot benefit workers. It curtails workers’ rights. Employers are not being truthful about wage implementation,” she said.