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The proposed amendments to the Bangladesh Labour Act, allowing at least 20 workers to form a trade union at a factory, reignited debate between workers and factory management.

Welcoming the decision, the labour leaders said that the International Labour Organisation guidelines pose no barrier to small unions.

They also stressed proper negotiations to protect workers’ rights, maintain industrial harmony, and avoid complications.

Earlier, on August 26, a decision was taken at the Tripartite Consultative Committee meeting stating that a trade union could be formed with signatures of 20 workers.

Moreover, the meeting agreed to set a maximum limit of five unions at a factory.

Currently, forming a union in Bangladesh requires the support of 20 per cent of workers in an establishment.

However, the factory entrepreneurs expressed displeasure regarding the proposed amendment, warning that the provision could disrupt industrial harmony, discourage foreign investment, and undermine competitiveness in the export sector.

They also said the move could trigger workplace disorder and a proliferation of ineffective, paper-based unions within the same factory.

Talking to ¶¶Òõ¾«Æ·, Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed, executive director of the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies, said that forming a trade union is the fundamental right of workers.

‘The formation of a trade union with the consent of 20 workers doesn’t mean that those are the highest number, it would just be the starting number, and a union might witness involvement of thousands of workers,’ he added.

He also said that if the workers of a factory could agree to form a single trade union, then no new unions would be created there.

‘If there were any misunderstanding, an overall discussion could resolve this,’ he added.

Sultan Uddin, who was also chairman of the Labour Reform Commission, said that the objective of forming a trade union would be the right to create a union, the right to bargaining, and industrial harmony.

Meanwhile, Fazlee Shamim Ehsan, executive president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, said that allowing a trade union by just 20 workers regardless of the factory size would be a contentious proposal.

‘This could lead to a proliferation of paper-based unions at small and medium-size factories, triggering frequent disputes and lowering productivity,’ he added.

Ehsan, also president of Bangladesh Employers’ Federation, said that materialising this proposal could send negative signals to foreign investors, thus jeopardising job creation and long-term economic growth.

He also proposed a proportional system, with thresholds based on factory size, such as employing 3,000, 5,000, or 10,000 workers.

However, Babul Akhter, president of IndustriALL Bangladesh Council, told ¶¶Òõ¾«Æ· that there is no threshold clause in the ILO convention.

‘To avoid any complication, we could sit down to discuss what could assist us in reaching a consensus,’ he added.

He said they were still in the dark regarding the registration and collective bargaining agreement, as any unresolved issue could further delay the amendment.

‘Now we should focus on the potential process of CBA, trade union registration, and other unresolved matters through discussion,’ he added.

If easing trade unions create further complexity, it would bring no result for the workers’ safeguard; instead, the employers would benefit, he added.

Md Nasir Khan, vice-president of the Leathergoods and Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association of Bangladesh, said that they were observing the system of the competitor countries.

‘We always want to uphold the workers› rights, but of course, by balancing it with the global practices,’ he added.

Earlier, Md Farooq Ahmed, secretary general of the BEF, said that they were not against workers or the government.

‘We want a fair and functioning labour market where workers’ rights must be ensured. However, it has to be balanced with business stability and competitiveness,’ he added.

He said that the government should focus on easing the trade union registration process, capacity building of DIFE, adequate training, and other vital issues.

‘We are not against amending the labour act, rather we want adequate capacity, training and confidence to implement the law,’ he added.

Regarding the suggestions of the International Labour Organisation, he said that the ILO’s suggestions were general, not country-specific, so Bangladesh should comply with its country’s position.

Nazma Akter, president of the Bangladesh Garment Workers› Federation, said the proposal would make it easier to form a trade union to safeguard workers’ rights.

‘As it would uphold workers’ rights, we welcome the decision. We should resolve any complications through discussion, but he added that we stand with the amendment proposal.

On the 89th meeting of the TCC on August 26, labour and employment adviser M Sakhawat Hussain said that the Labour Act would be amended based on the suggestions of workers and employers.

The amended BLA would be a groundbreaking step for the labour sector in Bangladesh and would be in line with international standards, he added.

Earlier, he said that the government would complete the amendments to the Bangladesh Labour Act by October of this year, as the country has committed to improving it to international standards.