Reviewing the past eight months of progress on labour reforms and outlining the government’s roadmap ahead, special envoy to the chief adviser for international affairs Lutfey Siddiqi on Monday conveyed to the top Western nations’ ambassadors and high commissioners that they had made a ‘dramatic progress’.
He held a high-level meeting with the envoys, including from the US, the UK, Canada, European Union and ILO, at the chief adviser’s office in Dhaka’s Tejgaon to review the past eight months of progress on labour reforms and outline the government’s roadmap ahead.
He was joined by technical experts and labour rights specialists.
Lutfey delivered the first full summary of the government’s reform efforts since July 2024.
‘Over the past eight months, we’ve made dramatic progress. The ILO roadmap is not just a guide — it’s a commitment. We’re investing time, energy and goodwill to get this right both in terms of process and outcome,’ he said.
He commended the personal engagement and moral authority of labour adviser Sakhawat Hossain who spent hours with tripartite stakeholders to bring them along.
Labour secretary AHM Shafiquzzaman said that they were targeting July 2025 for conclusion of labour law amendments and other substantial milestones. The process was moving fast.
European Union ambassador Michael Miller called the process ‘unprecedented,’ adding, ‘We note that there’s been a lot of social dialogue and we appreciate the sense of urgency. We look forward to seeing the draft legislation soon and track tangible improvements on the ground. Resolution of this has implications for continued access to EU markets.’
US Chargé d’Affaires Tracey Ann Jacobson said that they welcomed the momentum under the current government and would also like to see accountability for past violations.
Canadian high commissioner Ajit Singh said that they appreciated the work done so far and supported the ILO roadmap.
‘This is particularly important for Bangladesh in the context of LDC graduation,’ Ajit Singh said.
British high commissioner Sarah Cooke said that Bangladesh’s LDC graduation had to be backed by strong labour standards.
‘I echo others in expressing my appreciation for the seriousness with which the interim government of Bangladesh has approached this issue,’ said Sarah Cooke.
ILO country director Tuomo Poutiainen said that they were very close to shaping the updated Bangladesh Labour Act.
‘What matters now is doing this in a way that stands the test of time and protects workers in the long run,’ Tuomo Poutiainen said.
Lutfey also briefed the diplomats on earlier inter-ministerial meetings with the home, labour and public administration ministries to address politically motivated cases from the previous regime, better dispute resolution mechanisms to avert logjam in courts, and the issue of insufficient capacity in inspector roles.
‘This is not just a domestic issue. Labour rights are now tied to market access, global trade decisions, including the tariff agenda of president Trump. We must act accordingly,’ he said.
The diplomats agreed that labour reforms and accountability had to remain a priority across all political contexts. Several reaffirmed their countries’ commitment to supporting Bangladesh’s transition.
‘The July uprising provides a unique opportunity for the Bangladesh government to do the right thing. We are grateful for the support from everyone as we approach the final stretch towards closing the case at the ILO governing board,’ Lutfey said.
