Not satisfied with the report filed by Bangladesh on the existing labour rights conditions last year, a high-level team of the International Labour Organization would reportedly visit Bangladesh on April 17 to assess the labour rights situation in the country.
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Led by Minister Counsellor (Labour) at Kenya mission, Geneva Elizabeth Onuko, the five-member team that includes Sonia Regenbogen, Marc Leemans, Karen Curtis, and Veronika Vajdova, is scheduled to arrive in Bangladesh on April 17 on a four-day visit to assess labour rights issues, especially trade union registration and anti-union activities in the readymade garment (RMG) sector.
“The ILO team is coming to scrutinise the actual progress made in the labour rights scenario in Bangladesh. They would especially collect information on the progress in trade union registration in the RMG sector,” said Labour Secretary Mikail Shipar, adding that the team would hold a meeting with the government, labour leaders and factory owners, as well as visit industrial units to collect information on the existing labour rights situation.
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It may be mentioned here that ILO was little impressed by the report presented by Bangladesh in its last review meeting held in July 2015, following which ILO decided to physically inspect the progress made in institutionalising labour rights, after the infamous Rana Plaza collapse. After the visit, the five-member team would reportedly submit a report to the ILO identifying the areas where further progresses are needed.
Earlier in October, 2015, a high-powered delegation of the Direct Contacts Mission of the ILO reportedly visited the country to analyse some key issues like activities and capacities of a number of organisations involved in ensuring workers’ safety and rights, and the process of registering trade unions formed by the workers of factories (both within and outside the export processing zones).
