Bangladesh ratifies ILO safety, anti‑harassment conventions following IndustriALL push
Bangladesh has taken a progressive step forward by becoming the first South Asian nation to ratify International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions 190, 155, and 187, marking a victory after years of “sustained campaigning” by IndustriALL Global Union and its affiliates.
The ratification addresses key workplace issues such as violence, harassment, and occupational safety and health (OSH).
Breakdown of the ratified ILO Conventions
- Convention 190, which applies to all sectors and areas, whether urban or rural, protects all individuals involved in work, including employees, trainees, and job seekers.
- ILO Convention 155 aims to reduce job-related accidents and health hazards. It allows gradual implementation according to each country’s needs and development levels.
- Convention 187 deals with promoting the ongoing improvement of OSH. It works towards this goal by developing a national policy, system, and programme in collaboration with employers and workers’ organisations.
IndustriALL executive committee member and the Sommilito Garments Sramik Federation (SGSF) president Nazma Akhter said: “This achievement belongs to the workers who have demanded safety and dignity for years. Now the challenge is to make sure these conventions are implemented so that every woman and every worker can work without fear.”
In 2013, IndustriALL and UNI Global Union, along with global brand,s established the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety after the tragic Rana Plaza incident, which claimed at least 1,138 lives, mostly garment workers.
This was succeeded by the Ready-Made Garment (RMG) Sustainability Council (RSC) in 2020 to ensure that factory safety remained a legal obligation.
IndustriALL is also said to have taken steps towards gender equality in the workplace. With women forming the majority of the garment workforce, it pushed for the establishment of anti-harassment committees, gender-sensitive grievance procedures, and worker training.
These efforts were bolstered by global framework agreements with leading brands such as H&M and Inditex, thereby improving accountability across supplier factories.
In May 2025, IndustriALL representatives visited Bangladesh, meeting with affiliates and high-ranking government officials. They advocated for practical labour reforms, enhanced OSH standards, and fair wages for all workers.
IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie commented: “These ratifications are the result of persistent campaigning by trade unions and the solidarity of workers in Bangladesh and worldwide. Binding commitments, strong unions and social dialogue are what drive real change.”
The ratifications come amid fresh incidents of fire in the country, which affected textile workers.
Recently, at least 16 people were killed after a fire broke out in a garment factory in Dhaka, with the International Accord on Factory Safety telling Just Style it is a “stark reminder of the devastating human cost of inadequate safety measures.”
Another fire incident at the import cargo complex of Dhaka airport earlier this week caused significant distress to garment exporters.
