Promoting workers' rights and labour relations in export oriented industries in Bangladesh

The project will build on the recently (since 2011) intensified work of the ILO in Bangladesh in the following areas: promoting labour rights; supporting dialogue between employers, workers, and the Government; labour compliance; freedom of association (FOA); and collective bargaining (CB). Elements of this work include for example: a feasibility study for a Better Work (BW) programme; a gaps diagnostic and the subsequent development of national plan of action on FOA and CB to close those gaps; the ongoing BW Design Phase; the current U.S. Department of Labor funded FPRW project; and the tripartite work the ILO is facilitating on fire safety in the RMG industry. The ILO will implement a multiple component labour rights programme designed to be delivered over the period of 1 year. The proposed project will be delivered through four principle components which are all focussed on the RMG, shrimp-processing and shoe & leather sectors (called Immediate Objectives – IOs): workers and employers in the RMG, shrimp processing and shoe & leather industries will have a better knowledge and understanding of labour rights – in law and in practice (IO1); workers and employers and their representatives are better equipped to engage in meaningful dialogue and labour relations on workplace issues of mutual importance (IO2); governmental authorities and labour courts, in particular the IRI, the MoLE, labour courts and the BEPZA, will have an improved capacity to perform core functions and mandates (IO3); and support the implementation of occupational safety and health (OSH) improvement measures and the National Tripartite Plan of Action on Fire Safety2, in particular its “practical activities” (IO4).

Project symbol

BGD/13/05/NOR

Admin unit

CO-Dhaka

Start date

01/06/2013

End date

30/06/2017

Total allocation

2513123

Total expenditure

Status

Closed

2504885

Development Partners

Norway, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Country/Countries

Bangladesh

Outcomes

Ratification and application of international labour standards