Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies-BILS with support of International Labour Organisation(ILO), organised a Report Sharing Workshop on “An Assessment of Gaps in The Bangladesh Labour Act regarding Care Work for all Workers and Recognition and Protection of Care Work” on 28 May at Prestige hall, Asia Hotel and Resort. Various stakeholders such as members from Labour Reform Commission, Govt, Trade union leadership, CSOs, ILO and BILS officials were present in the workshop. Badal khan, Chairman, NCCWE was the chair of the meeting.

This study was conducted by Mehedi Imam and highlights various gaps in the Bangladesh Labour Act in two key areas: care at work for all workers and the recognition and protection of care workers. The research revealed that the BLA lacks adequate provisions for maternity leave, does not provide paternity leave, and fails to ensure protection for care work. It also lacks flexible working hours to support work-life balance and is not aligned with international standards such as ILO Conventions 183, 189, and 190 that hamper the care at work for all workers. Also, the lack of  provisions recognizing care work and care worker.

Shah Abdul Tarique, representative of the Department of Labour (DoL), stated that the government is planning to ratify ILO Conventions 155, 187, and 190 at the upcoming International Labour Conference (ILC), which is expected to positively impact the rights of care workers in Bangladesh in the future. Sultan Uddin Ahmmed, Chief of the Labour Reform Commission, mentioned that a definition of “care work” and “care worker” should be developed soon, so that it can be incorporated into the upcoming amendment of the Bangladesh Labour Act.

The workshop concluded with a strong call for policy reforms to recognise care work, ensure decent working conditions, and align national labour laws with international standards for the protection and well-being of all workers.