Labour rights group calls for dignified living standard

Labour activists yesterday presented a 15-point manifesto to political parties and key stakeholders, urging them to prioritise labour rights and social justice in the next national election.

Under the banner of the National Workers’ Rights Advocacy Alliance, the manifesto was unveiled at the Bangladesh-China Friendship International Conference Centre. The programme was attended by representatives from different political parties.

Alliance leaders said workers have long been central to political movements, yet their rights are often overlooked once governments change. 

“Those who rise to state power on the sacrifices of workers must not forget their rights,” said Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmmed, member secretary of the alliance and executive director of Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS). 

“Workers still face job insecurity, low pay, and inadequate social protection,” he said.

The manifesto calls for several reforms, including amendments to labour laws to ensure legal recognition and protection for all workers, and the introduction of a national minimum wage that guarantees a dignified standard of living. 

It also proposes stronger workplace safety measures, higher compensation for industrial accidents, transparent investigations into workplace incidents, and expanded social protection covering food, housing, and healthcare for workers’ families.

The alliance demanded full freedom of association and collective bargaining, including for workers in export processing zones. It calls for gender equality at work, steps to end harassment and violence, and the extension of paid maternity leave to six months for all female workers.

The manifesto also addresses emerging challenges such as climate change, automation, and the fourth industrial revolution, proposing the creation of a National Permanent Labour Commission to tackle labour crises and ensure administrative accountability.

Nazrul Islam Khan, convener of the alliance and a BNP Standing Committee member, said the demands were not new. “Those who take charge of the state after the upcoming election have the primary duty to implement this manifesto,” he said. 

BNP Standing Committee Member Abdul Moyeen Khan described workers as the “true architects of the nation”. 

“Although these rights are already guaranteed by the constitution, why is it still necessary for us to discuss and demand them?” he asked, pointing to the widespread gap between law and practice.

He also talked about the financial feasibility of implementing these rights. “We talk about workers’ rights, benefits, and a better life. But we do not provide a clear answer to where the resources to implement these demands will come from. Without resource creation, resource distribution is not possible,” he said.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair said, “We must protect the rights and dignity of workers to move the nation forward. They are often used as stepping stones to power and then forgotten.” 

“Our focus should be on the politics of work, not the politics of cards. We do not want to hand out charity; we want to provide work and skills,” he said, citing migrant workers as an example. 

“If we enhance their skills, remittances could rise from $30 billion to $50-$60 billion, yet state support is limited. We must prioritise projects that value workers’ labour and ensure they live with dignity, rather than focusing only on mega-projects,” Zubair said.

Biplobi Workers Party General Secretary Saiful Haque said workers’ rights are not a matter of charity, they are a crucial issue. The next government must take responsibility for including them in their manifestos.

Ariful Islam Adeeb, senior joint convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP), said the alliance’s manifesto closely aligns with the National Labour Commission and his party’s own proposals. 

“We want a permanent labour commission. Our party will ensure that workers receive full assistance if they need help with cases in the labour court,” he said.

Ali Ashraf Akond of Islami Andolon Bangladesh said the government must prioritise social protection for workers. 

Abdur Rahman, president of Sramik Odhikar Parishad, called on the industrial police to treat workers humanely when they assert legal rights.

Taslima Akhter, president of the Bangladesh Garment Sramik Samhati, urged steps to uphold workers’ dignity and fair wages in the national curriculum. 

Among others, Abdullah Al Kafi Ratan, general secretary of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Bazlul Rashid Firoz, general secretary of Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal, and Max Tunon, ILO country director in Bangladesh, also spoke at the event.