Welcome to the ILO Office in Bangladesh. The International Labour Organization (ILO) is the tripartite UN agency that brings together governments, employers and workers in common action to promote decent work. The Office is based in Dhaka since 1973. More>
ILO is a specialized agency of the United Nations
Events Calendar
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ILO Country Office for BangladeshHouse-12, Road-12 (New), Dhanmondi R/ADhaka-1209BangladeshTel:+ 880 2 8114705 8117685, 9112876, 9120649, 9112907, 9140835Fax:+ 880 2 8114211Website:www.ilo.org/dhakaEmail:DHAKA@ilo.org
ILO home > Regions > Asia and the Pacific > Offices in the Region > ILO Country Office in Bangladesh (CO–Dhaka)
ILO Country Office in Bangladesh (CO–Dhaka)
What's new
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© © Munir Uz Zaman / AFP 2013 2013
Bangladesh
Emerging from the ruins of Rana Plaza
Dhaka, BangladeshSix months on from the Rana Plaza building collapse, the ILO is helping survivors develop new skills and find jobs. Three workers who survived the tragedy talked to ILO News about their way back into employment.
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Press release
Major ILO Programme Aims to Make Bangladesh Garment Industry Safer
Dhaka, BangladeshThe US$24m programme has been developed with government, workers and employers in Bangladesh, in response to a number of accidents that have hit the country’s ready-made garment industry.
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Feature articles
Breaking gender stereotypes in Bangladesh
5 December 2013Nupur Howlader is Bangladesh's only nationally-qualified female welder. An ILO-EU skills training programme has given her the chance to both earn a better living and challenge gender stereotypes
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Press release
RMG building safety inspections to start tomorrow after major breakthrough
Dhaka, BangladeshInspections of all export-oriented Ready Made Garment (RMG) and knitwear factory buildings in Bangladesh will start tomorrow, 22 November 2013.
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© Farzana Hossen/ ANADOLU AGENCY 2013 2013
Working conditions
ILO report presents a path to sustainable growth in Bangladesh
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
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Bangladesh
A tireless pursuit of change
It was past midnight. Four days into my job as the new Director of the ILO Country Office in Bangladesh. Ten days after the Rana Plaza building collapse, which killed more than 1,100 garment factory workers.
A high level mission from ILO headquarters had been in the country for several days and we had been in discussions since morning, shuttling between unions, employers and government and were close to agreement on the joint statement we would issue the next day. -
Workplace safety
ILO to launch major new programme to improve garment factory safety in Bangladesh
The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Government of Bangladesh will launch a new programme to improve working conditions in the ready-made garment (RMG) sector in Bangladesh, on Tuesday 22 October in Dhaka.
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Press release
Getting skills and jobs to Bangladesh's poorest
Dhaka, BangladeshPeople from rural Gazipur and remote North Bengal, Bangladesh’s poorest region, are now being employed in the readymade garments sector after completing a 3-month skills training programme. The project is a partnership between Far East Knitting & Dyeing Industries, IDLC Finance, the ILO TVET Reform Project, Gazipur Technical School and College, Care Bangladesh and Shiree.
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Press release
Bangladesh Minimum Wages Board returns from study tour to Cambodia and Viet Nam
Dhaka, BangladeshMembers of the Minimum Wage Board returned to Dhaka on Friday from a study tour to Cambodia and Viet Nam. The aim of the study tour was to better understand the approaches taken in other countries in order to inform the Board’s on-going negotiations on a new minimum wage for Bangladesh’s 4 million garment workers.
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Press release
Pakistan learning lessons from Bangladesh in structuring informal apprenticeships
Dhaka, BangladeshA five-day visit of fourteen high-level officials from Pakistan’s public and private sector concluded today. The officials were here to learn about how the government and industry are working together to structure apprenticeships in Bangladesh’s informal sector, in trades such as motorcycle servicing, mobile phone servicing, tailoring and dressmaking.
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New report
New ILO report finds global number of child labourers falls
A new ILO report has found that the global number of child labourers has declined by one third since 2000, with the largest absolute decline in the Asia Pacific region.
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© ILO/K. Cassidy 2013
Bangladesh factory conditions
ILO, partners aim to improve conditions in Bangladeshi garment industry
In New York, the ILO has signed new agreements with the Netherlands, UK and Canada to respond to recent accidents in Bangladesh.
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National Workshop
Construction Sector: Challenges & Opportunities for Transitioning from the Informal to the Formal Economy
The ILO Sub-regional Project titled ‘Way out of Informality: Facilitating Formalisation of Informal Economy in South Asia’ facilitated a day long National Workshop on the Construction Sector: Challenges & Opportunities for Transitioning from the Informal to the Formal Economy’ was held on 21 September, 2013.
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Press release
Apprenticeships for youth employment
Dhaka, BangladeshInformal apprenticeships are an effective way to ensure youth employment and empowerment, high-level officials from the ILO, BRAC and the Ministry of Primary & Mass Education stated this week. The comments were made after almost 1000 learners from UNICEF’s Basic Education for Hard to Reach Urban Working Children (BETRUWC) programme successfully completed a six-month BRAC & ILO skill training programme and have just started work in the informal economy.
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Joint press release
Action Plan Development for Rana Plaza victims
Dhaka, BangladeshStakeholders in Bangladesh’s garment industry have developed strategies to strengthen the rehabilitation of garment factory workers and their families affected by the Rana Plaza building collapse.
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Press release
Assessment of garment factories to begin to ensure building, fire and electrical safety
Dhaka, BangladeshThe adoption of common safety standards in Bangladesh’s ready-made garment factories has come a step closer, following a meeting of national tripartite partners, the Alliance and Accord and other key stakeholders in the industry.
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Training In the proposed overseas employment and migrant workers' bill, 2013 and dialogue on role of recruitment association
Dhaka, BangladeshThe event organized by the SDC funded Labour Migration Project of the International Labour Organization (ILO) was attended by the 13 members of the BAIRA Executive Committee. The event, combining training, review and dialogue methods was held to take up three issues: provisions and analysis of the proposed Overseas Employment and Migrant Workers' Bill, 2013; a dialogue on the role of an association of the recruitment agents/agencies; and the need for code of conduct and regulatory mechanism.
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Assessment of structural integrity and fire safety of RMG factories to begin in September
Dhaka, BangladeshRepresentatives of the Government of Bangladesh, employers’ and workers’ organizations and the International Labour Organization (ILO) agreed on Wednesday that initial structural integrity and fire safety assessments of buildings housing RMG factories will begin in September
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Media advisory
ILO to mark entry into force of Maritime Labour Convention on 20 August
To mark the day, the ILO will organize a panel with high-level representatives of seafarers, ship-owners and port authorities from Singapore's maritime sector, and Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, Director of the ILO International Labour Standards Department, who is the key ILO expert on the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC 2006).
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© AFP/M. Uz Zaman 2013
Interview with the Director of the ILO Country Office in Bangladesh
The Rana Plaza building collapse… 100 days on
A number of initiatives have been launched in response to the Rana Plaza building collapse in Dhaka, Bangladesh, which expand upon ILO action following previous accidents in the country. The Director of the ILO Office in Dhaka, Srinivas B. Reddy, explains what these initiatives are and the steps that have been taken on the ground.
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Press release
ILO Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific concludes four day mission to Bangladesh
The International Labour Organization (ILO) Assistant Director-General and Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Mr. Yoshiteru Uramoto, today concluded a series of meetings with the Bangladesh Government and employers' and workers' organizations in Dhaka, as part of his mission to ILO member states in the region.
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Workplace safety
Bangladesh Government, employers and workers organizations sign integrated national action plan on fire safety and structural integrity in the garment sector
Dhaka, BangladeshThe Government of Bangladesh and representatives of Bangladesh employers’ and workers’ organizations today signed an integrated National Tripartite Plan of Action on Fire Safety and Structural Integrity in the garment Sector of Bangladesh (NTPA) on 25 July
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© EyePress News 2013
International labour standards
ILO statement on reform of Bangladesh labour law
Amendments to the Bangladesh labour Act 2006 were adopted on 15 July 2013. Its conformity with international labour standards ratified by Bangladesh will be reviewed by the ILO supervisory machinery later in the year.
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Safe migration
Intergovernmental regional seminar on promoting cooperation for safe migration and decent work
Dhaka, BangladeshThe Ministry of Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment (MEWOE) called upon the member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the countries of destination to undertake a collective analysis of the issues that affect labour migration governance on 02 July 2013 at Ruposhi Bangla Hotel, Dhaka.
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Interministerial meeting
Interministerial meeting to review the proposed draft of the overseas employment policy 2013
14 July 2013, Dhaka, BangladeshAn inter-ministerial meeting was held by to review the proposed draft of the Overseas Employment Policy 2013. The meeting was attended by 18 ministries, divisions and departments.
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Multistakeholder workshop
Multistakeholder workshop to share the proposed overseas employment policy 2013
11 July 2013, Dhaka, BangladeshThe International Labour Organization (ILO) facilitated a day-long workshop organized by the Ministry of Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment (MEWOE) to share the first draft of the proposed Overseas Employment Policy 2013. The initiative comes under the Project “Promoting Decent Work through Improved Migration Policy and its Application in Bangladesh”, which is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)
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Regional seminar
Technical preparation workshop for intergovernmental regional seminar
30 June 2013, Dhaka, BangladeshThe Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare an overseas Employment (MEWOE) of the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh has invited the member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), some countries of destination, East Asian countries and the SAARC Secretariat in Dhaka from 01-02 July 2013 to participate in an intergovernmental regional seminar for promoting cooperation for safe migration and decent work.
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Workplace safety
ILO, EU, Bangladesh government adopt new compact on garment factory safety
10 July 2013The new compact aims to improve health and safety, labour rights and responsible business conduct in Bangladesh’s ready-made garment industry.
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© ILO/S. Saltmarsh 2013
Press release
Working for a higher skilled garments sector in Bangladesh: Using corporate social responsibility to bridge the gap between training and employment
Gazipur, BangladeshGazipur Technical School and College (TSC) today celebrated the graduation of the first batch and the inauguration of the second batch of sewing machine operator trainees in a new corporate social responsibility partnership. The partnership brings together Gazipur TSC, CARE Bangladesh, IDLC, Far East Knitting, Interfab Shirt Manufacturing, TRZ Group and the International Labour Organisation with the goal of improving the skills of Bangladeshi workers.
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Training for Trade Unions in International and National Labour Migration Regimes and Policy Frameworks
15 June 2013, Dhaka, BangladeshOn the 15 June 2013, the Labour Migration Project, conducted a day-long training in International and National Labour Migration Regimes and Policy Frameworks for the trade union members of the National Coordination Committee for Worker’s Education (NCCWE).
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Signing ceremony
MOU signed between the ILO and the Government of Bangladesh
30 May 2013, Dhaka, BangladeshThe Government of Bangladesh signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the International Labour Organization (ILO) on 30 May, 2013 to assist implementation of the Bangladesh country component of the Project entitled Way out of Informality: Facilitating Formalisation of Informal Economy in South Asia for a period of of 5-years (2012-16). Mr Md Ashadul Islam, Additional Secretary (UN, Economic Relations Division (ERD), Ministry of Finance, Government of Bangladesh and Mr Srinivas Reddy, Director, ILO Country Office for Bangladesh signed the MOU.
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Workshop
Knowledge Sharing & Planning Workshop
The ILO Sub-regional Project titled Way out of informality: Facilitating formalization of informal economy in South Asia is going to organize a two-day Knowledge Sharing and Planning Workshop on 26 and 27 May, 2013 at the Hotel Sonargaon, Dhaka with the key stakeholders of the project.
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Press release
Bangladesh's Kamran T. Rahman Elected Vice President of the International Labour Conference
The former head of the Bangladesh Employers Federation, Mr Kamran Rahman has been elected as a Vice-President of the 2013 International Labour Conference (ILC), the annual meeting of the membership of the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations specialized agency that deals with work and work-place related issues.
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First meeting of high level committee on building and fire safety in RMG factories
Dhaka, BangladeshThe first meeting of the National Tripartite Committee formed to implement the National Tripartite Plan of Action on Building and Fire Safety in the Ready-Made Garment Sector in Bangladesh (NAP) was held on Thursday, 6 June 2013. The meeting, at the Ministry of Labour, was chaired by Mr Mikail Shipar, Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment. The Tripartite Committee brings together representatives of Government, workers’ and employers’ organizations, with the International Labour Organization (ILO) playing an advisory role.
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Stakeholder consultation on revision of the Overseas Employment Policy 2006 on 15 May 2013 at the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment
The first stakeholder consultation to revise the Overseas Employment Policy took place on 15 May 2013 at the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment and was attended by about 65 representatives from civil society organizations, academic experts, workers’ and employer’s organizations.
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Press release
The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ILO sign US$5 million agreement to support improved labour conditions in Bangladesh
The Norwegian Minister for International Development Mr Heikki Eidsvoll Holmås and the International Labour Organization (ILO) Country Office Director Mr Srinivas Reddy signed an agreement today which will see the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs providing NOK 14.5 million (approximately US$2.5 million) for promoting workers rights and labour relations in export oriented industries in Bangladesh.
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Joint media advisory
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ILO to Sign US$2.5 Million Agreement to Support Improved Working Conditions in Bangladesh
The Norwegian Minister for International Development Mr Heikki Eidsvoll Holmås and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Country Office for Bangladesh Director Mr Srinivas Reddy will sign an agreement which will see the Norwegian Government providing NOK 14.5 million (approximately US$2.5 million) for promoting workers rights and labour relations in export oriented industries in Bangladesh.
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© AFP/M. Uz Zaman 2013
Workplace safety
ILO welcomes accord on Building and Fire Safety in Bangladesh
The ILO stands ready to provide appropriate support to the agreement signed by international fashion retailers along with other companies and trade unions to prevent workplace disasters.
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© AFP/M. Uz Zaman 2013
Workplace safety
Conclusions of the ILO's high level mission to Bangladesh
Joint statement issued by the tripartite partners at the conclusion of the ILO's high-level mission sent to Dhaka, Bangladesh, following the Rana Plaza Building collapse.
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© AFP/M. Uz Zaman 2013
Media advisory
The ILO and the government of Bangladesh to hold a press conference on Rana Plaza disaster
The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Government of the Peoples’ Republic of Bangladesh will hold a joint press conference on the Rana Plaza disaster at 15.00 on Saturday 4 May 2013, at the conference hall, Minister of Foreign Affairs.
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© AFP/M. Uz Zaman 2013
Workplace safety
ILO to send high-level mission to Bangladesh following the Rana Plaza Building collapse
ILO Director-General Guy Ryder says it is time for horror and regret to translate into urgent action.
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World Day for Safety and Health at Work:
26 April 2013, Dhaka, Bangladesh
ILO calls for urgent global action to fight occupational diseasesAccording to a new ILO report, prevention is key to tackling the growing number of work-related diseases, which claim an estimated 2 million lives per year.
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Every skills development programme can include persons with disabilities: 7th plenary session on developing a National Strategy for Disability Inclusion in Skills Development in Bangladesh
13 April 2013, Dhaka, BangladeshThe UN unanimously adopted the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) on 13th December 2006, which entered into force on 3rd May 2008. Bangladesh was one of the pioneering countries to ratify this Convention and is pledge bound to implement the human rights treaty in its entirety ensuring the rights of persons with disabilities in the country. Five years on we look at the progress which the Government of Bangladesh, supported by the ILO, is making to include persons with disabilities in the national skills development system.
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Fire Safety - Tripartite Partners Adopt National Tripartite Plan of Action on Fire Safety for the Ready-Made Garment Sector In Bangladesh
25 March 2013, Dhaka, BangladeshA devastating fire destroyed Tazreen Fashions Limited in November 2012 leaving 112 workers dead and many others injured. This immense loss of life shocked the world and spurred the tripartite constituents of the ILO - government, employers and workers - into developing a National Tripartite Plan of Action on Fire Safety for the Ready-Made Garment Sector in Bangladesh. A second successive fire at Smart Export Garments in January 2013 in which 8 workers died and others were injured underlined the need to take urgent action
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Scenario Planning for the Tourism and Hospitality Sector: Residential Workshop
15 March to 16 March 2013, Dhaka, BangladeshSustainable tourism has been identified by the UN as an effective means to reduce poverty in developing countries. The hospitality and tourism sector is a key potential growth area for Bangladesh, however proper infrastructure, sectoral guidelines and skilled manpower are some of the major areas prohibiting growth.
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Policy Working Group Meeting on “The RMG sector in Bangladesh: Supplying Globally, Promoting Decent Work Locally”
13 March 2013, Dhaka, BangladeshThe theme of the meeting was “The RMG sector in Bangladesh: Supplying Globally, Promoting Decent Work Locally”. The meeting was Co-chaired by Mr. Mikail Shipar, Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment and Mr. Amitava Chakraborty, Additional Secretary and Director General, WTO Cell, Ministry of Commerce. Mr. Gagan Rajbhandari, Officer- in- Charge, ILO Country Office for Bangladesh has delivered the welcome remarks in the meeting.
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Orientation Workshop for Dhaka Ahsania Mission Project Staff and Management
12 March 2013, Dhaka, BangladeshILO executed Labour Migration project supported Dhaka Ahsania Mission conduct an Orientation Workshop to familiarize project staff and management with the implementation approach and methodology for implementing a pilot initiative to give top-up technical training and impart life skills and pre-departure information to equip the Bangladeshi workers who have made a decision to migrate for work in another country and to support left behind families of the migrant workers.
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Moving forward, empowering change in industries in Bangladesh: Leadership workshop
25-28 February 2013, Dhaka, BangladeshIn developing countries with rapidly expanding economies such as Bangladesh, it is imperative that industrial growth is supported by strong skill development systems that maximize the potential productivity of the workforce. Strong skill development systems require leadership by industry as well as the public sector, and the objective of this workshop is to further develop the leadership skills of key individuals.
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Tripartite Consultation Workshop: "Building Knowledge-base and Promoting Rights of the Bangladesh Workers on the Move"
06 February 2013, Dhaka, BangladeshA Tripartite Workshop titled "Building Knowledge-base and Promoting Rights of the Bangladesh Workers on the Move" co-organized by the Human Development Research Centre (HDRC) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Dhaka. The workshop included a wide range of stakeholders representing private and public sector banks, civil society organizations, migrant workers associations, international organizations, media and the Ministry of Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment (MEWOE).
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Workplace safety
Tripartite Meeting on Fire Safety in the Workplace in Bangladesh
Dhaka, BangladeshA tripartite meeting on fire safety in the work place in Bangladesh was organized jointly by the Ministry of Labour and Employment and the ILO on 15 January 2013. Following the daylong deliberations, a tripartite statement of commitment was adopted and signed at the meeting.
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