Press releases (ILO in Bangladesh)

Getting skills and jobs to Bangladesh's poorest

01 October 2013

People 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.

Pakistan learning lessons from Bangladesh in structuring informal apprenticeships

27 September 2013

A 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.

Apprenticeships for youth employment

17 September 2013

Informal 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 1,000 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.

Action plan development for Rana Plaza victims

14 September 2013

Stakeholders 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.

Assessment of garment factories to begin, to ensure building, fire and electrical safety

07 September 2013

Garment industry stakeholders agree need for common safety standards.

Assessment of structural integrity and fire safety of RMG factories to begin in September

22 August 2013

ILO Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific concludes four day mission to Bangladesh

02 August 2013

Bangladesh Government, employers and workers organizations sign integrated national action plan on fire safety and structural integrity in the garment sector

25 July 2013

The plan brings together the National Tripartite Plan of Action on Fire Safety in the RMG Sector signed on March 24, 2013 in response to the Tazreen factory fire and the Joint Tripartite Statement adopted on May 4 in the wake of the Rana Plaza tragedy.

New support to protect girls and women from ‘modern day slavery’

15 July 2013

The ILO and the UK Department for International Development (DFID) partner to combat trafficking of women and girls with major new project in South Asia and the Middle East.

DFID, ILO to launch new initiative to tackle trafficking of women and girls

10 July 2013

ILO, EU, Bangladesh government adopt new compact on garment factory safety

10 July 2013

The new compact aims to improve health and safety, labour rights and responsible business conduct in Bangladesh’s ready-made garment industry.

Working for a higher skilled garments sector in Bangladesh: Using corporate social responsibility to bridge the gap between training and employment

02 July 2013

Gazipur 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.

Bangladesh's Kamran T. Rahman Elected Vice President of the International Labour Conference

09 June 2013

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.

First meeting of high level committee on building and fire safety in RMG factories

07 June 2013

The 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 Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ILO sign 2.5 million USD agreement to support improved labour conditions in Bangladesh

03 June 2013

Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ILO to sign US$2.5 million agreement to support improved working conditions in Bangladesh

02 June 2013

The Norwegian Minister for International Development Mr Heikki Eidsvoll Holmås and the ILO Country Office for Bangladesh Director Mr Srinivas Reddy will sign an agreement on 3 June. The Norwegian Government will provide NOK14.5 million (US$2.5 million) to support workers' rights and labour relations in export industries in Bangladesh.

The ILO and the government of Bangladesh to hold a press conference on Rana Plaza disaster

03 May 2013

Fire safety - Tripartite partners adopt National Tripartite Plan of Action on Fire Safety for the Ready-Made Garment Sector in Bangladesh

25 March 2013

Women with disabilities boost Chittagong's growing RMG sector

31 January 2013

Chittagong Mohila Polytechnic Institute this week inaugurated a new competency-based sewing machine operator’s training program for women with disabilities.

New opportunities for persons with disabilities in Bangladesh