Labour Rights

Rights advocates criticise fashion brands for failure to protect labour rights in Bangladesh

The Clean Clothes Campaign urges brands to take swift action

Protect the invisible backbone

It’s high time we ensured basic rights in the informal sector

Will corporations finally be held accountable?

EU’s new law on corporate responsibility a step in the right direction

We wouldn't be worried about US labour policy if we upheld labour rights

If this is the situation with labour rights in the country, we should fear not only the repercussions of the US memorandum, but also potential actions of the European Union.

'China, India can't replace our export market to the US, EU'

M Touhid Hossain, former foreign secretary of Bangladesh, discusses the implications and significance of the recent US labour rights policy with The Daily Star.

You can’t quell workers’ hunger by opening fire on them

Rather than assuage the workers by announcing a respectable wage, the wage board has essentially fuelled workers’ outrage and made a mockery of the wage negotiation process

Labour law must protect right to strike

Latest amendment does not do enough to conform to international labour standards

Tk 25,000 as minimum wage / Don't RMG workers deserve a dignified life?

The workers protesting for a minimum wage of Tk 25,000, but those in power are concocting ways to thwart this mission.

Why is remittance from Saudi Arabia falling?

Government must address use of unauthorised channels and migrants' skills gap

July 16, 2023
July 16, 2023

Migrant dreams turned to ashes

Tragic factory fire in Saudi Arabia highlights the urgent need for migrant worker safety

July 16, 2023
July 16, 2023

Time to raise the bar in labour migration

Bangladesh must prioritise sending skilled labour overseas

June 13, 2023
June 13, 2023

How sincere are we to end child labour?

Government efforts to eradicate it are largely inadequate

May 2, 2023
May 2, 2023

Books exploring workers’ rights in South Asia

In order to understand the background of the labour movements in South Asia or the plight of workers, here are some books to add to your reading list.

May 1, 2023
May 1, 2023

5 books to read for International Workers’ Day

Concentrating on women workers from Bangladesh, Nepal, India and Pakistan, Women and Work in South Asia also tackles the advancement of individual corporate sectors due to the involvement of women workers.

November 1, 2022
November 1, 2022

Essential service ACT: Draft tugs at right to go on strike

The cabinet yesterday gave the nod to the draft of the Essential Service Act, 2022, including a clause that criminalises strikes in organisations whose services are declared essential -- in a development that stands to set back the country’s labour rights.

November 1, 2022
November 1, 2022

Changes in Labour Rules will actually reduce maternity benefits

Laws and policy frameworks must be sensitive towards the rights of maternity protection

August 22, 2022
August 22, 2022

“Don’t force me to take to the streets for tea workers’ wage”

Acclaimed poet Nirmalendu Goon has demanded that the daily wage of tea workers be raised to Tk 300.

April 30, 2022
April 30, 2022

Does anyone care about the jute mill workers?

At a time when the demand for jute products in the world is increasing, and new private jute mills are being established, government workers are being handed over to the private mills.

May 1, 2019
May 1, 2019

Working for a brighter future in Asia

With nearly two decades of strong economic growth, the world’s highest employment ratios and lowest unemployment rates, and massive technological innovation, some say “Asia is the future” or even “The future is Asia”.