Labour Reform Commission Presents Report to CA

The Labour Reform Commission submitted its comprehensive report to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus today, marking a significant milestone in the ongoing labour reforms in the country. The members of the commission handed over the report to the Chief Adviser at the State Guest House Jamuna, located in the capital, around 12 noon. This was confirmed by the Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretary, Abul Kalam Azad Majumder, who communicated the development to the Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS).

The interim government had established the Labour Reform Commission, tasked with recommending changes to improve the labour system in Bangladesh. The commission is comprised of 18 members, with Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed, the Executive Director of the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS), serving as its chief. The members of the commission represent a diverse range of sectors, including labour rights activists, legal experts, business leaders, and academics.

The commission includes notable figures such as:

• Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed (Chairman), Executive Director of BILS

• Dr. Mahfuzul Haque, former secretary at the Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change

• Dr. Jakir Hossain, Professor at the Institute of Bangladesh Studies, Rajshahi University

• Tapan Dutta, President of the Chattogram Divisional Committee of the Bangladesh Trade Union Centre

• Advocate AKM Nasim, former President of the Bangladesh Labour Court Bar Association

• M Kamran T Rahman, former President of the Bangladesh Employer Federation

• Shakil Akhter Chowdhury, General Secretary of Bangladesh Labour Federation

• Taslima Akhter, Photographer and Labour Movement Organiser

• Mustafa Al Hossain Akil, Barrister

• Barrister Nihad Kabir, Renowned Legal Expert

• Syed Nasim Manzur, Managing Director of Apex Footwear Limited

• Fazle Shamim Ahsan, Managing Director of Fatullah Appearls Limited

• ANM Saif Uddin, Member of the Coordination Committee of BGMEA (Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association)

• Faruk Ahmad, Secretary General and CEO of the Bangladesh Employers Federation (BEF)

• Annana Rahman, Economist

• Ariful Islam, Labour Organiser and Media Activist

• Anwar Hossain, President of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal (Bangladesh Nationalist Workers' Party)

• Md Rajekuzzaman Ratan, President of the Samajtrantik Sramik Front (Socialist Workers Front)

The commission's members collectively represent a wide cross-section of the country's labour sector, including trade unions, employer groups, legal professionals, business executives, and social activists, all working together to provide recommendations for enhancing the country's labour laws and worker conditions. The report, now submitted to the Chief Adviser, is expected to contribute significantly to the reform process, which aims to address issues related to workers' rights, working conditions, and overall labour welfare in Bangladesh.