Bangladesh has once again been named among the 10 worst countries in the world for working people, according to the 2025 edition of the International Trade Union Confederation Global Rights Index.
This marked the ninth consecutive year the country has ranked in the Index鈥檚 lowest category, with a score of 5, signifying that there was no guarantee of workers鈥� rights.
Despite its vital role in the global garment supply chain, producing for major international brands such as Zara and H&M and accounting for nearly 8 per cent of global output, Bangladesh continued to be marred by severe and systemic violations of labour rights, the report said.
The ITUC Index published on June 2 highlighted continued repression of union activity, frequent worker dismissals, and violent responses to protest, particularly in the garment and beverage sectors.
It further indicated that Bangladesh was grouped with Belarus, Ecuador, Egypt, Eswatini, Myanmar, Nigeria, the Philippines, Tunisia, and T眉rkiye as one of the worst-performing countries for workers in 2025.
The report also observed that the Middle East and North Africa remained the most dangerous region for working people, with an average score of 4.68, reflecting widespread and routine suppression of the rights to organise, protest, and engage in collective bargaining.
In February, over 800 workers at Transcom Beverages, the exclusive PepsiCo franchisee in Bangladesh, staged strikes in Dhaka, Gazipur, and Chittagong to protest the dismissal of 10 union leaders.
Police responded with baton charges, arrests, and alleged use of provocateurs, resulting in 23 workers being detained, the ITUC index said.
The report said that Bangladesh鈥檚 labour laws were still considered among the most restrictive globally.
It mantioned that union formation was limited to the factory level and restricted to permanent employees, with a maximum of three trade unions allowed per workplace.
The index also highlighted that certain groups of workers such as civil servants, firefighters, and most public sector employees were completely barred from unionising.
It pointed out that approximately 4,58,000 workers in Export Processing Zones were prohibited from forming independent unions and were instead required to operate under government-controlled Workers鈥� Welfare Associations with minimal authority.
The report identified that collective bargaining was extremely rare in Bangladesh and that the right to strike was heavily regulated.
It indicated that any strike perceived as a threat to national interest or extending beyond 30 days could be declared illegal and redirected to the Labour Court.
It further said that strikes were completely banned in critical sectors, including Export Processing Zones and foreign-owned factories.
The report also pointed out that the legal requirements for authorising a strike were excessively stringent, and that unauthorised industrial actions were subject to punishment under harsh laws like the Special Powers Act 1974.
The ITUC report mentioned that union activity in Bangladesh was subject to intense government oversight.
It noted that authorities had the power to reject union constitutions, dissolve unions without prior notice and confiscate union documents at their discretion.
The report said that limitations on the geographic scope of federations significantly restricted national-level representation, particularly for unions based in urban areas. It also observed that sector-wide collective bargaining was nearly nonexistent.
The ITUC鈥檚 2025 report placed Bangladesh鈥檚 situation in a global context of worsening labour conditions. 聽
