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| Bangladesh Ministry of Labour and Employment | |
|---|---|
| Agency name | Ministry of Labour and Employment |
| Native name | শ্রম ও কর্মসংস্থান মন্ত্রণালয় |
| Formation | 1972 |
| Headquarters | Secretariat, Dhaka |
| Jurisdiction | Bangladesh |
| Minister | Sheikh Hasina |
| Chief1 name | M. N. H. Khan |
| Chief1 position | Secretary |
| Website | (official) |
Bangladesh Ministry of Labour and Employment
The Ministry of Labour and Employment is the principal executive body responsible for labour administration and employment policy in Bangladesh. It oversees statutory frameworks, workplace safety regulation, vocational training schemes, and social protection instruments affecting millions of workers in sectors such as Ready-made garment industry, Agriculture in Bangladesh, Shipbreaking in Bangladesh, Construction in Bangladesh and Textile industry. The ministry operates from the Secretariat in Dhaka and interfaces with international organisations, national trade unions and employer associations including the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Bangladesh Employers' Federation and the Bangladesh Trade Union Kendra.
The ministry traces its origins to labour institutions formed during the post-independence period following the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 and early administrative reforms under the Constitution of Bangladesh (1972). Over decades, milestones included the enactment of the Labour Act, 2006, the establishment of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, and responses to major industrial incidents such as the Rana Plaza collapse and the Tazreen Fashion fire. Reforms accelerated after international scrutiny from bodies like the International Labour Organization and bilateral partners such as the European Union and the United States. Subsequent policy shifts reflected recommendations from missions by the International Finance Corporation, the World Bank, and technical assistance from the Asian Development Bank.
The ministry comprises divisions, statutory directorates and advisory boards, including the Department of Labour, the Office of the Chief Inspector of Factories and Establishments, and the Directorate of Employment and Manpower. Leadership includes a cabinet minister, state ministers and a senior secretary drawn from the Bangladeshi Civil Service. Regional and district offices coordinate with local bodies such as the Dhaka City Corporation and divisional administrations in Chittagong Division, Rajshahi Division, Khulna Division, Barisal Division, Sylhet Division, Rangpur Division, and Mymensingh Division. Tripartite institutions under the ministry include national wages councils and the Minimum Wage Board, which interact with federations like the Bangladesh Trade Union Centre and the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
The ministry formulates labour policy, administers labour law enforcement, mediates industrial disputes, and oversees occupational safety and health. It sets minimum wages via the Minimum Wage Board, regulates working hours and leave entitlements within the Labour Act, 2006, and manages employment services and vocational training coordination with institutions such as the Bangladesh Technical Education Board and Bangladesh College of Leather Technology. It also supervises social security instruments affecting workers in schemes allied to the Jatiya Sangsad legislation and coordinates labour inspection regimes that reference international standards from the International Labour Organization and bilateral accords with the United Kingdom and Germany.
Major legislative instruments under the ministry include the Labour Act, 2006, amendments addressing factory safety post-Rana Plaza collapse, and subsidiary rules governing child labour, forced labour and apprenticeship schemes. The ministry has participated in drafting memoranda with donor partners such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and has implemented action plans responding to recommendations from the Better Work programme and the International Finance Corporation. It also contributes to national strategies that relate to Vision 2021 and the Seventh Five Year Plan prepared by the Planning Commission.
Programs administered include public employment exchanges, vocational training linkages with the Bangladesh Technical Education Board and the Skill Development Council, wage board negotiations, and workplace inspection drives in industrial clusters like Dhaka Export Processing Zone and Chittagong Port. The ministry implements safety retrofitting initiatives in collaboration with the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh signatories and supports reskilling programmes funded by partners such as the United Nations Development Programme and the International Labour Organization. Services also extend to migrant worker governance with the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training and reintegration assistance aligned with bilateral migration agreements with countries including Saudi Arabia and Malaysia.
The ministry engages multilaterally with the International Labour Organization, participates in trade-related labour dialogues with the European Union, and negotiates labour provisions in bilateral partnership frameworks with the United States Agency for International Development and the Japan International Cooperation Agency. It coordinates with intergovernmental bodies such as the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation on regional labour mobility, contributes to ILO Decent Work country programmes, and manages compliance initiatives driven by international buyers and multinationals like H&M, Zara parent companies, and global apparel brands participating in remediation accords.
Critiques of the ministry include enforcement gaps highlighted after incidents like the Rana Plaza collapse and Tazreen Fashion fire, persistent informal sector vulnerability in occupations such as rickshaw pulling and shrimp processing, and slow implementation of labour law amendments demanded by trade unions and international stakeholders. Challenges encompass limited inspectorate capacity, coordination frictions with bodies such as the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training, and tensions between export competitiveness advocated by the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association and labour rights campaigns by organisations like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. External audit recommendations from the World Bank and monitoring by the European Commission continue to shape reform priorities.
Category:Government ministries of Bangladesh Category:Labour ministries Category:Labour relations in Bangladesh