Readymade garment (RMG) manufacturers have urged the government to revise several provisions of the Bangladesh Labour Act (Amendment) Ordinance 2025, cautioning that a few clauses could pose risks for the sector.
Mohammad Hatem, president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), made the call at a press briefing at his Dhaka office on Sunday.
The interim government promulgated the ordinance on 17 November last year.
Hatem said most of the amended provisions were acceptable, but some key clauses required urgent reconsideration before implementation.
He explained that the amendment process involved extensive consultations, starting with over 300 proposals that were later narrowed down to 101 and subsequently refined through technical committee reviews.
According to him, 79 provisions were finalised through consensus, while additional proposals were agreed upon in meetings of the Tripartite Consultative Council (TCC), comprising representatives from the government, employers, and workers.
However, the BKMEA chief alleged that several provisions were inserted at the final stage without prior consensus, raising concerns among stakeholders.
Referring to the definition of “worker”, he said the previous law excluded employees engaged mainly in administrative, supervisory, or managerial roles.
“But the amended clause now includes employees or officers working for wages within the definition of worker, which may create instability in factories,” he said, adding that the change did not reflect TCC decisions.
On service benefits, the ordinance stipulates that a permanent worker would receive seven days’ wages for each year of service up to three years, 15 days’ wages for service between three and 10 years, and 30 days’ wages for service exceeding 10 years.
Hatem said the TCC had agreed on a different structure — seven days’ wages for service between three and less than five years, and 15 days’ wages for five to less than 10 years — describing the revised timeframe as “illogical”.
He also raised concerns over provisions related to collective bargaining agents (CBA), noting that the ordinance allows a single trade union in a factory to be recognised as the bargaining representative.
“A union should qualify as the CBA only if it secures at least 51 percent support through an election,” he said.
The BKMEA leader also proposed revisions to clauses on gratuity, provident funds, maternity benefits, and the formation of committees to address discrimination, violence, and harassment.
He questioned the transparency of the process, alleging that meeting minutes were not shared with participants, contrary to standard practice.
“Out of 124 amended sections, we have objections to only four or five key provisions, while supporting the rest as largely favourable to workers,” he said.
Responding to a query, Hatem said reasonable recommendations should be considered, but provisions that could harm the industry must be avoided.
“Any law must reflect domestic realities rather than external expectations,” he added.
On the issue of blacklisting, he said the intention was not to target ordinary workers but to take action against those involved in violence, harassment, and vandalism in industrial areas, stressing the need for a legal framework.
He also dismissed concerns that non-worker employees were deprived of rights, noting that officers and staff could seek remedies through contracts and courts.
“Bangladesh has already demonstrated its commitment to labour rights by ratifying several International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions, but reforms must remain practical and implementable,” he added.
BKMEA Executive President Fazlee Shamim Ehsan, senior vice-president Amal Poddar, and vice-president Shamim Ahmed were also present.
