The Parliament today (9 April) passed the Bangladesh Labour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, incorporating provisions aimed at strengthening labour rights and aligning the country’s labour standards with international norms.
Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Hoque Chowdhury moved the bill in the House to turn the ordinance issued by the interim government into law, with some amendments and additional provisions. It was later passed by voice vote.
The bill seeks to enact the Bangladesh Labour (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, and introduces significant reforms to advance the decent work agenda and ensure greater protection of workers’ rights in line with international labour standards.
According to the objectives of the bill, in line with commitments made in the current government’s election manifesto and with the aim of upgrading the country’s labour standards to international levels, an initiative has been taken to further amend the Bangladesh Labour Act, 2006 (as amended from time to time).
On 17 November 2025, the draft of the Bangladesh Labour (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, was approved in principle and finally by the Advisers Council meeting during the interim government.
The bill also seeks to enhance workers’ rights and clarify provisions regarding layoffs and wage calculation.
Under the new amendments, Section 14 has been updated to define continuous service as 240 days in 12 months or 120 days in six months, and includes the last monthly wages and allowances for compensation calculations.
Section 16 now ensures that workers registered in an establishment’s workers’ register, with at least three months of service, are entitled to full layoff compensation, while transferred workers with one year of continuous service are not considered transfer workers for compensation purposes.
The provisions of the bill expand the scope of the Labour Act by extending freedom of association and collective bargaining rights to workers who were previously excluded, while reducing the minimum membership requirement for trade union registration and simplifying documentation requirements.
The bill proposes amendments to Section 179 of the Bangladesh Labour Act, 2006, to streamline trade union registration and strengthen organizational governance.
Under the proposed amendment, the number of trade union officers will be determined according to the union’s constitution, while executive and general meetings must be conducted as per constitutional provisions, with at least one general meeting held annually.
The amendment allows a minimum of 20 workers to apply for trade union registration but requires specific membership thresholds based on the size of the workforce, ranging from 20 members for establishments with up to 300 workers to 400 members for establishments with over 3,000 workers.
The director general or responsible authority will verify registration information through worker lists collected from establishments or through digital and online systems.
The amendment also limits trade union registrations to a maximum of three in any establishment or group of establishments at a time.
The changes aim to ensure transparency, accountability, and effective management of trade unions in line with international labour standards.
The Bangladesh Labour (Amendment) Bill 2026 also includes new provisions to protect workers and trade union members from unfair labour practices and anti-trade union discrimination.
Under the proposed amendments, employers will be prohibited from blacklisting workers or trade union members, establishing trade unions under employer control, or providing financial or other support to influence trade union activities.
Employers will also be barred from encouraging the formation of rival unions, dismissing union leaders in a discriminatory manner, or taking retaliatory actions against workers for filing complaints, participating in legal proceedings, or reporting unfair labour practices.
The bill proposes an amendment to Section 196 (Ka) to define retaliatory actions against workers seeking investigation of unfair labour practices as anti-trade union discrimination.
A new section, 196 (Kha), will be inserted to ensure proper disposal of complaints related to unfair labour practices and anti-trade union discrimination.
Under this provision, the director general will be empowered to immediately order employers to stop such activities and provide financial compensation to affected workers if losses occur.
The proposed amendments aim to strengthen workers’ rights, ensure fair trade union practices, and enhance employer accountability in line with international labour standards.
The bill also incorporates provisions to strengthen protections against workplace discrimination.
New sections 345 (Ka) and 345 (Kha) have been introduced, prohibiting both direct and indirect discrimination against workers based on race, gender, religion, disability, political opinion, or social status.
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