Press releases

2014

  1. Center of Excellence Project Aims to Create Skilled Workforce for RMG Sector in Bangladesh

    10 June 2014

    The Government of Bangladesh and the International Labour Organization have signed a new project to establish a Center of Excellence (COE) for Ready Made Garment Sector aimed at creating a skilled labour force for the export oriented industry.

  2. Occupational Safety and Health Awareness Plans to Prevent Accidents in the RMG Factories

    26 May 2014

    Speakers at a day long planning workshop on Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) stressed on the need for building OSH awareness in the Ready-Made Garment (RMG) factories to reduce risk of accidents and to prevent accidents at work places.

  3. CAD $19.5 million ILO project launched to enhance capacity of workforce in key industries in Bangladesh

    15 May 2014

    ‘Bangladesh Skills for Employment and Productivity (B-SEP) Project’ is a five year long initiative of the Government of Bangladesh funded by the Government of Canada and implemented by the ILO.

  4. © Munir uz Zaman / AFP 2023
    ILO: Rana Plaza is an opportunity to change how global supply chains operate

    24 April 2014

    ILO Deputy Director-General for Field Operations and Partnerships Gilbert Houngbo says that the Rana Plaza tragedy in Bangladesh which killed over 1,100 garment workers in April 2013 can be a catalyst for change.

  5. © Jewel Samad / AFP 2023
    One year after Rana Plaza: Progress and the Way Forward

    24 April 2014

    Employer and union representatives join the ILO, donors and Government of Bangladesh representatives at a high-level event in Dhaka to mark the one year anniversary of the Rana Plaza tragedy.

  6. Employers’ Seminar on Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining emphasizes training on rights and responsibilities.

    24 April 2014

    Dhaka – Employers’ organizations expressed their full respect for freedom of association and collective bargaining at a high-level meeting here, organized by the BGMEA, BKMEA and BEF, with senior representatives of the Government of Bangladesh and the ILO.

  7. The Rana Plaza Coordination Committee pays out BDT 50,000 to each victim of Rana Plaza collapse

    22 April 2014

    The Rana Plaza Coordination Committee has made today made available approximately BDT 14,20,00,000 to make payments of 50,00BDT to eligible claimants through the BKash system. Payment is being made in respect of all injured workers, dependents of the deceased and missing workers, as well as the non-injured workers.

  8. © Munir Uz Zaman / AFP 2023
    ILO Deputy DG welcomes advance payments to Rana Plaza survivors and victims' families

    22 April 2014

    Initial disbursements of TK 50,000 (US$ 645) made to survivors and families of those who died in the Rana Plaza building collapse in April 2013.

  9. Officials of over 140 newly registered RMG sector Trade Unions receive Orientation on Freedom of Association

    22 April 2014

    Leaders of 141 newly registered trade unions of the RMG factories along with leaders of over 80 trade union federation in Bangladesh received a day long orientation on issues like collective bargaining and freedom of association.

  10. © Z.Hossain Chowdhury / NurPhoto 2023
    Ryder: Rana Plaza legacy must be improved working conditions globally

    03 April 2014

    The ILO Director-General highlights the human cost of poor working conditions and calls for action to ensure the Rana Plaza tragedy is not repeated.

  11. © Munir Uz Zaman / AFP 2023
    ILO Deputy Director-General on first Rana Plaza payments: "Good news for the NWB workers affected and we must also focus on all the victims"

    17 March 2014

  12. Norway funds effort to strengthen labour rights, improve occupational health and safety for 4,000 Bangladeshi workers in garment, leather and shrimp sectors

    16 March 2014

    "Decent Work and fair globalization are important and related objectives on the Norwegian Government’s agenda. Everybody must enjoy basic workers’ rights, work in an environment where standards are respected, and receive their share of the wealth created,” stated H. E. Ms Merete Lundemo, Ambassador of Norway to Bangladesh.

  13. Union registrations rise sharply in Bangladesh garment sector: New labour laws pave way to improve conditions, workers’ rights

    20 February 2014

    The 30 labour officials examined recent changes to labour laws in Bangladesh, which will promote workers’ rights, and facilitate the registration of new trade unions.

  14. ILO welcomes the upgrading of the Bangladesh Labour Inspectorate

    09 February 2014

    The ILO welcomes the decision of the Government of Bangladesh to upgrade the Chief Inspector of Factories and Establishments office to a ‘Department’. With this upgrade, the number of labour and factory inspectors will increase to a total of 575 from the current 183 positions.

  15. © EyePress News 2023
    New labour inspectors on board to ensure compliance

    22 January 2014

    To achieve sustainable reform in labour inspection system in Bangladesh, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the program “Promotion of Social and Environmental Standards in the Industry” (PSES), implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), joined hands to develop capacity of the newly recruited labour inspectors of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE).

2013

  1. 98 to 8000 formal apprentices in three years: Bangladesh's success in learning and earning

    14 December 2013

    A total of 8000 apprentices across Bangladesh recently completed skills apprenticeships under the TVET Reform Project, supported by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and funded by the European Union (EU). Just three years ago, the number was only 98 apprentices registered under the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET). The Centre of Excellence for Leather has also received funding from the Swiss Development Corporation and USAID’s PRICE programme.

  2. Bangladesh needs properly skilled workforce say ILO, EU and Bangladesh

    27 November 2013

    The ILO organized a panel on “Skills for Bangladesh” at the European Development Days 2013 in Brussels. Bangladesh has a fast-growing labour population and needs a properly skilled workforce to be competitive and to ensure decent living conditions for the population, said the ILO, the EU and the government of Bangladesh.

  3. RMG building safety inspections to start tomorrow after major breakthrough

    21 November 2013

    Inspections of all export-oriented Ready Made Garment (RMG) and knitwear factory buildings in Bangladesh will start tomorrow, 22 November 2013.

  4. © Farzana Hossen / ANADOLU AGENC 2023
    ILO report presents a path to sustainable growth in Bangladesh

    18 November 2013

    The new study by the ILO's Research Department presents a series of policies to achieve both economic growth and decent working conditions in Bangladesh.

  5. ILO to launch new report on Bangladesh

    13 November 2013

    The International Labour Organization (ILO) will launch a new report Bangladesh: Seeking better employment conditions for better socioeconomic outcomes on Monday 18 November.