On 20 November 2025, H.E. Brig. Gen.(Rtd) Dr. Muhammad Sakhawat Hussain, Hon'ble Adviser for Labour and Employment, deposited the instrument of ratification of the Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155) and the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No. 187), and the Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190), with the Director-General of the ILO, Mr. Gilbert F. Houngbo.
In depositing the instruments of ratification, the Hon'ble Adviser stated: "Today marks a historic day for Bangladesh - a milestone in safeguarding workers' rights, as there has been no precedent of ratifying three conventions at once since 1972. This initiative will significantly contribute to ensuring the welfare of approximately 80 million working people in the country. With this achievement, Bangladesh will become a signatory to 39 ILO conventions and one protocol.
This achievement stands as one of the key successes of the present Interim Government. The event recognizes the leadership of H.E. Chief Adviser of the Interim Government of Bangladesh, Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, under whose guidance Bangladesh has initiated the process of ratifying three ILO conventions. It also represents one of the major transformative reform initiatives aimed at endorsing workers' fundamental rights and ensuring workplace safety across the country.
With the ratification of Conventions 155 and 187, Bangladesh has now ratified all ten fundamental ILO conventions. The ratification and effective implementation of Conventions 155 and 187 will make a significant contribution to ensuring occupational health and safety in workplaces. Meanwhile, the ratification and implementation of Convention 190 will play a crucial role in preventing all forms of violence and harassment in the workplace.
It is pertinent to mention that the ratification of these conventions was one of the priority recommendations of the Labour Reform Commission formed by the Interim Government.
In accordance with the recommendations of the Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations (CEACR) and in line with our commitments under the Labour Sector Roadmap with the ILO, the Interim Government has recently promulgated the Bangladesh Labour Act (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025. The Ordinance incorporates most of the principal obligations of these three conventions.
The continued cooperation and support from the ILO are instrumental in advancing Bangladesh's commitment to improving labor rights and workplace safety."
The Director-General of the ILO welcomed the ratifications of those Conventions by Bangladesh and stated that: "With these ratifications, Bangladesh reaffirms its strong commitment to ILO standards. It becomes a pioneering country in Asia as the first to ratify all fundamental ILO instruments (including Protocol No. 29), and the first in South Asia to ratify Convention No. 190. This is a landmark step and a unique opportunity for Bangladesh to shape a future of work that has safe and healthy working environments and is free from violence and harassment in the world of work."
Convention No. 155 provides for the adoption of a coherent national policy on occupational safety and health (OSH), as well as action to be taken by governments and within enterprises to promote OSH. Convention No. 187 calls on member States to move towards the development of a national policy, a national system and a national programme on OSH. These two Conventions were declared fundamental Conventions by the International Labour Conference of the ILO in 2022. Convention No. 190 is the first to address violence and harassment in the world of work establishing a comprehensive framework for action.
Bangladesh has received ILO technical assistance through the Improving Working Conditions in the Readymade Garment Sector Programme (RMGP) project in developing its national OSH framework, as well as in raising awareness on violence and harassment. The ILO has also assisted to prepare relevant legislative amendments in the framework of the projects Advancing Decent Work in Bangladesh (co-funded by the EU Team Europe Initiative, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden and Canada) and Trade for Decent Work (T4DW) (EU funded). The ILO stands ready to continue to support Bangladesh in applying the ratified Conventions.
