Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies-BILS held its 10th Biennial Conference and General Meeting on Saturday, 5 September 2026, under the slogan “Moving Forward to Ensure Dignity, Rights and a Fair Share.”
The inaugural session took place at the Institution of Diploma Engineers Bangladesh in Kakrail, Dhaka. The session brought together BILS members, leaders of Bangladeshi and international workers’ organisations, government representatives, employers, and development partners.
Professor Dr. A Z M Zahid Hossain, Minister for Women and Children Affairs and Social Welfare, spoke at the event as chief guest. Special guests who spoke were Dr. Mahdi Amin, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Education, Primary and Mass Education, Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, and Labour and Employment; Advocate Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, Member of Parliament and Central Coordinating Advocate of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal; Abdur Rahman Tarafdar, Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment; Dr. Mohammad Zakaria, Director General, NGO Affairs Bureau; Max Tunon, Country Director, ILO Bangladesh; Janna van der Linden, Deputy Ambassador, Embassy of the Netherlands; Yasunobu Aihara, President, Japan International Labour Foundation (JILAF); Md. Saidul Islam, Additional Secretary General, Bangladesh Employers’ Federation (BEF); Felix Gardes, Resident Representative, FES Bangladesh; Lotte Ellegaard, Head of Asia Office, Danish Trade Union Development Agency (DTDA); Ruben Korevaar, Policy Advisor, Mondiaal FNV; Ashutosh Bhattacharya, Regional Secretary, IndustriALL Global Union South Asia; Farah Kabir, Country Director, ActionAid Bangladesh; A.A.M. Fayez Hossain, Joint Convener, Sramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad (SKOP); and Farida Akter, member of the BILS Advisory Council. BILS Chairman Mojibur Rahman Bhuiyan chaired the inaugural session. BILS Secretary General and Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political and Agriculture Ministry Affairs, Nazrul Islam Khan, gave the welcome and introductory speech. BILS Advisory Council member Farida Akter read the condolence resolution, and Executive Director Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmmed gave the vote of thanks.
Professor Dr. A Z M Zahid Hossain stressed safety in the world of work, safe workplaces, and an inclusive Bangladesh. He said many workers in the country are still engaged in the informal sector. To improve the world of work, every worker needs proper valuation and institutional recognition. All the speakers present expressed concern about safety and wages.
Dr. Mahdi Amin said a fair wage is not a matter of demand but part of civic rights. He assured the audience that the elected government of seven and a half crore working people is ready to ensure this. In this regard, he stressed safe workplaces, decent work, fair wages, skill growth through technology, stability in industry, trust, accountability, employer-worker unity, and inclusive development in the world of work.
Advocate Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas highlighted the contribution of the working class to Bangladesh’s economic resilience. He said Bangladesh’s economy runs because of workers in all sectors.
Ruben Korevaar stressed women’s leadership in Bangladesh’s trade union movement. Lotte Eliegaard stressed tripartite dialogue and social dialogue, saying that effective social dialogue needs coordination and unity among all parties. Janna van der Linden said real development will come when the working class takes part in bargaining, discussion, and dialogue in its own language.
At the end of the inaugural session, the chief guest, Professor Dr. A Z M Zahid Hossain, opened the “Bir Muktijoddha Nazrul Islam Khan Library and BILS Documentation Centre.”
Md Mojibur Rahman Bhuiyan and Nazrul Islam Khan were elected next chairperson and secretary general of BILS. Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmmed, Shakil Akhter Chowdhury and Abul Kalam Azad were elected joint secretary generals, while Rafiqul Islam Rafiq was elected treasurer. Monjurul Islam, Badal Khan, A A M Fayez Hossain, Shamim Ara, Shahidullah Badal and Nasrin Akter Dina were elected secretaries of the executive council. The newly elected executive members are ABM Sajjad Hossain, Umma Hassan Jhalmal, Pulak Ranjan Dhar, Nargis Jahan, Md Nurul Amin, Robiul Haque, M R Monju and Md Mozibor Rahman.
BILS general members, advisers and executive committee members from across the country attended the conference and general meeting