Why ratifying 3 ILO conventions turning point for BD

Bangladesh’s ratification of three major International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions on 22 October is crucial to upholding workers’ rights as the country seeks to rebuild global confidence after the Rana Plaza tragedy, and secure continued trade benefits under the EU’s GSP-plus scheme.

Bangladesh now positions itself as a regional leader in labour standards, ahead of India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka by completing all ten fundamental ILO ratifications, including 3 new ILO conventions.
What are the three conventions?

The three are Convention 155 on Occupational Safety and Health, Convention 187 on the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health, and Convention 190 on the Prevention of Violence and Harassment at Work.

Together, they create a framework that protects workers’ dignity and safety while strengthening Bangladesh’s international credibility. Convention 155, adopted in 1981, aims to establish the framework for national occupational safety and health (OSH) policies to prevent accidents and injury to health.

Convention 187, adopted in 2006, seeks to create a preventive safety and health culture and establish a system of continuous improvement in workplace conditions. Convention 190, adopted in 2019, aims to ensure every worker’s right to work free from gender-based violence and harassment.

Why does it matter for Bangladesh?
The move is a response to long-standing global scrutiny for Bangladesh.
Twelve years ago, on a tragic 24th April, 2013 morning, the collapse of Rana Plaza sent shockwaves across the world. More than 1,100 workers, mostly young women, lost their lives due to the rubble of greed, negligence, and systemic failure.

Rana Plaza tragedy one of the deadliest industrial disasters in Bangladesh’s Ready-Made Garment (RMG) history.

Nasreen Begum, a middle aged (40) survivor, once worked as a swing operator at Benetton Fashion at Rana Plaza building, Nasreen told the Stream, “It’s true we were poor before the tragedy, but at least I had peace. Now, I have lost everything, I have no money; my husband left me and married someone else. My future is blurring. That building just did not collapse, it destroyed my life. I am just counting my last days”, she says in a tearful voice.

Many survivors like Nasreen Begum and the families who lost loved ones since the tragedy, the pain and trauma are still raw.

“I got Tk 2 lakhs as compensation, but many non-profit organisations came forward and provided additional financial support,” Nasreen said.

In the aftermath of the Rana Plaza collapse, Bangladesh has made significant progress in improving workplace safety over the past decade as a series of reforms, inspections, and international initiatives were launched including the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh and the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety.

These two programmes were helpful as it broadened the scope to inspect factories and implement fire and structural safety improvements.

However, the absence of these 3 ILO conventions ratifications often made it difficult to demonstrate full compliance with international standards.

Labour law expert and Supreme Court lawyer Sayed Ahmed, told the Stream, “Global trade increasingly depends on social responsibility because many developed markets, including the European Union (EU), require concrete proof that exporting countries uphold workers’ rights.

“Upholding workers’ rights is a primary condition for trade benefits.”
Bangladesh is currently seeking continued access under the EU’s upcoming GSP+ (Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus) facility. GSP+ a trade arrangement, which offers duty-free access to countries that ratify and implement 27 international conventions on human rights, environment, and labour.

“If Bangladesh fails to ratify 3 ILO conventions, there is a high risk of losing eligibility for GSP+ that could have led to higher tariffs and reduced competitiveness for its garment exports in Europe,” Sayed Ahmed said.

Moreover, the EU is a market that absorbs more than half of Bangladesh’s apparel shipments.
Compliance with international labour standards also influences decisions by global brands and investors beyond the EU.

According to the Human Rights Watch (HRW) report published in 2025, major buyers like H&M, Inditex, and PVH have tied sourcing decisions to evidence of fair working conditions.

Bangladesh risked falling behind competitors such as Vietnam and Cambodia without adopting conventions like ILO 190 on violence and harassment.

Vietnam and Cambodia both are already improving their labour frameworks to attract ethical investment.
Bangladesh’s bold move by ratifying 3 ILO conventions will help to appeal for responsible business partnerships and ESG-focused investments as the ratification enhances investor confidence.

The conventions have moral and social weight domestically because they address systemic issues such as workplace accidents, lack of safety culture, and gender-based harassment problems.

All three major issues that continue to affect thousands of workers, especially women in the ready-made garment (RMG) sector in Bangladesh.

In 2025, protests surged across major industrial hubs such as Ashulia, Savar, Gazipur, and Chattogram, as workers demand higher wages, bonuses, leave entitlements, and the reinstatement of dismissed colleagues.

Recently, in July, 2025, over 30 factories in Ashulia and Savar alone were forced to suspend operations during peak protest periods, with as many as 35 shutdowns recorded at one point.

ILO convention 190 is groundbreaking for recognising workers’ right to a workplace free from abuse and intimidation. Ratifying the conventions it gives Bangladesh to enact stronger legal protections, modern grievance systems, and awareness programmes to promote respect and equality at work.

If Bangladesh fails to ratify, it would have meant missing out on both economic and reputational opportunities. Bangladesh would have remained behind on key labour reforms, facing criticism from rights groups, trade unions, and international partners.

Its export competitiveness could have been undermined by perceptions of weak compliance. While investors might have redirected funds to countries with stronger labour governance. Bangladesh risked losing not just trade privileges but also global trust without these commitments.

Bangladesh now positions itself as a regional leader in labour standards, ahead of India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka by completing all ten fundamental ILO ratifications, including 3 new ILO conventions.
“The ratification move reinforces the interim government’s pledge to put workers at the centre of development policy,” Sayed Ahmed said.

Chief Adviser Yunus said that signing the conventions is “only the first step.” The next challenge is to ensure that these commitments move from paper to practice through legal reform, enforcement, and cultural change, Yunus said.

“After the Rana Plaza tragedy in 2013, the government at the time made promises but did very little. When I took charge, I made labour rights my first priority. I said repeatedly that it must be done and today, we have done it,” he said.

Labour and Employment Adviser Brigadier General (Retd) M Sakhawat Hussain on Wednesday signed the ratification documents at the State Guest House Jamuna in the presence of Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus.