Protect jobs, expand safety nets: Symposium
Speakers at an international symposium in Dhaka on Friday called for urgent measures to protect workers’ jobs, expand social safety nets and ensure decent working conditions amid technological, climate and economic disruptions.
They also urged the government and other stakeholders to establish an early-warning mechanism for workers of closed factories, bring informal-sector workers under social protection and increase female participation to accelerate industrialisation.
The Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) organised the international symposium titled “Future of Work: Decent Work and Social Justice for All” at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka.
The event brought together policymakers, worker representatives, employers and development partners to discuss strategies for decent work and social protection amid shifting global markets and Bangladesh’s graduation from the least developed country (LDC) category.
Dr Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, adviser to the Prime Minister on the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Planning, attended the inaugural session as the chief guest. Addressing the symposium, Titumir said Bangladesh needed to transform its fragile economy into a resilient and sustainable one by ensuring citizens’ rights and pursuing democratic, humane and welfare-oriented development.
He stressed the need to highlight Bangladesh’s effective and successful initiatives globally while developing investment and production structures suited to emerging realities.
Calling for Bangladesh to become a modern and competitive manufacturing and industrial hub, Titumir said:
“The current standing of the readymade garment sector is the cumulative result of policies aimed at boosting female participation in the formal sector, which serves as a vital lesson for us. Building on this experience, we must further expand women’s participation, accelerate industrialisation, and enhance production capacity to make Bangladesh a more critical component of global production and supply chains.”
He also called for more efficient mobilisation and management of domestic resources without raising tax rates, saying this would help create a skilled workforce, raise productivity and ensure workers a dignified life with social security.
Advocate Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, member of parliament and central coordinator of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal, stressed the need to adapt to a changing labour market by ensuring fair wages, enforcing labour laws and expanding social security coverage.
Max Tunon, country director of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Bangladesh, described the National Social Dialogue Forum as a novel initiative that would serve as the first tripartite platform of its kind.
He said greater dialogue, engagement and cooperation among stakeholders were essential to addressing challenges arising from the changing world of work.
Md Abdur Rahim, additional secretary to the Ministry of Labour and Employment, said the symposium’s deliberations would help outline measures to address the effects of technological and climate disruptions.
Md Saidul Islam, additional secretary general of the Bangladesh Employers’ Federation, identified the predominance of informal workers and Bangladesh’s upcoming LDC graduation as two major vulnerabilities facing the workforce.
He said a meaningful and just transition was imperative and called for concerted tripartite efforts involving employers, workers and the government.
Mesbahuddin Ahmed, senior joint convener of the Sramik Adhikar Jatiya Advocacy Alliance, said sustainable solutions required inclusive dialogue and cooperation among tripartite partners.
Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmmed, executive director of BILS, said the Labour Reform Commission had recommended lifecycle-based social protection, stressing that collective efforts were essential to building an inclusive and equitable state.
BILS Chairman Md Mozibur Rahman Bhuiyan presided over the symposium.
