Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury met Director General of the OIC Labour Center Azar Bayramov on the sidelines of the 114th International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva.
The meeting took place at the United Nations office in Geneva, Switzerland.
During the discussion, the minister highlighted the contribution of millions of Bangladeshi workers employed in OIC member states to the economies of both host countries and Bangladesh.
He called on the OIC Labour Center to strengthen its efforts to ensure safe working conditions, social protection and dignity for migrant workers across OIC countries. He stressed the need for more effective protection mechanisms for migrant labourers.
Ariful Haque Choudhury said OIC member states could benefit significantly from greater cooperation through the exchange of labour market data and best practices.
He also underscored the importance of stronger coordination among OIC countries to address emerging challenges in the rapidly changing global labour market.
Emphasising youth employment, the minister said skills development, particularly in science, technology and the digital economy, is essential to meet future labour market demands.
He urged the OIC Labour Center to launch initiatives for technical assistance, job creation and skills development training for both domestic and migrant Bangladeshi workers.
He also assured Bangladesh’s full cooperation in training workshops and capacity-building programmes organised by the Centre.
In response, OIC Labour Center Director General Azar Bayramov thanked Bangladesh for signing the statute of the OIC Labour Center and called for its early ratification.
He assured that the Centre would work actively to enhance skills development opportunities for Bangladeshi migrant workers in OIC member states. He also pledged support for improving workplace safety and strengthening social protection measures.
Labour Secretary Md Abdur Rahman Tarafdar, Ambassador Nahida Sobhan, Additional Secretary Md Humayun Kabir, and Deputy Secretaries Syed Ehtiza Ahsan and Md Shamsul Islam were also present at the meeting.
