Speaking to media following a meeting with the US trade delegation at his office in the secretariat, Huq provided insights into the discussions held.

The primary focus of the meeting revolved around Bangladesh’s labour laws, workers’ rights, and the ongoing amendments to the Bangladesh Labour Act even as the US delegation sought information regarding eleven specific issues and the progress made in addressing them, including inquiries about the threshold required for forming a trade union.

Anisul disclosed that they informed the delegation about the recent decision to abolish the threshold for forming trade unions. Previously, the threshold stood at 30 per cent and was later reduced to 20 per cent during the International Labor Organization (ILO) conference in 2017.

Additionally, there were proposals to further decrease the threshold to 15 per cent, applicable only to factories with 3,000 or more workers. However, this limitation has been lifted as well.

The law, justice, and parliamentary affairs minister further added that the US representatives expressed satisfaction upon learning about the labour laws and rights in Bangladesh.

Following the discussions, they conveyed their contentment with the progress made in this regard.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DR)