Bangladesh

Bangladesh has been an active member State of the ILO since 22 June 1972 and has ratified 33 ILO Conventions including seven fundamental conventions. The ILO opened its office in Dhaka, Bangladesh on 25 June 1973, and initially started working on expanding income-earning opportunities through labour-based infrastructure development and maintenance. Recent technical cooperation activities hae focused on alleviating poverty and creating employment opportunities through technical vocational education and training reform, combating worst forms of child labour, promoting green jobs, improving occupational safety and health standards, and protecting the rights of migrant workers. Since the opening of the office, the ILO together with the Government of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Employers' Federation (BEF), and the National Coordination Committee for Workers' Education (NCCWE), has been working towards promoting decent and productive employment opportunities for women and men in Bangladesh. In addition, the ILO cooperates with many other key actors in civil society, academic and reserach institutions, private sector and media. As part of the UN system in Bangladesh, the ILO supports the Government of Bangladesh in implementing its Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) and in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Bangladesh Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP), which outlines the framework of  ILO cooperation in Bangladesh, was developed and has been implemented for the period of 2006-2009, focusing on four key outcomes:

• Improving skills training and entrepreneurship for enhanced employability and livelihoods;
• Improving coverage of social protection and rights for workers in selected sectors, including for migrants;
• Combating child labour with priority focus on the worst forms of child labour (WFCL); and
• Strengthening social dialogue.

The Bangladesh DWCP contributes to the achievement of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2006-2020 especially in the areas of Education and Pro-Poor Growth, Social Protection, and Gender Equality and Advancement of Women.

• Capital: Dhaka
• Land Area:144,000 sq km
• Population: 144,319,628 (July 2005 est.)
• GDP per capita (PPP) (a) 2005:283,225 (millions of international dollars)(b)
  Source:
  (a) PPP is purchasing power parity; an international dollar has the same purchasing power over GDP as a U.S. dollar has in the United States.
  (b) World Development Indicators database, World Bank, 1 July 2006

Governments / Institutions

• Ministry of Labour & Employment and Ministry of Expatriates'
  Welfare & Overseas Employment
  Government of Bangladesh
  Bangladesh Secretariat
  Dhaka
  Bangladesh
  Hon'ble Minister: Engr. Khandker Mosharraf Hossain
  Tel: (88 02) 716 8845 / 811 2254 : Fax (88 02) 716 0688
  Email: ahmkamal2020@yahoo.com
  State Minister: Hon'ble Begum Monnojan Sufian
  Tel: (88 02) 957 0086 : Fax (88 02) 716 0688
  Secretary: Mr. Md. Atharul Islam
  Tel: (88 02) 716 2141 Fax:: (88 02) 716 8660
  Email: shahjahan_kazi@yahoo.com
  

Employers' Organizations

• Bangladesh Employers' Federation
  Chamber Building
  122/124, Motijheel Commercial Area
  Dhaka
  Bangladesh
  Tel: (88 02) 716 1028-30/956 5108 - 10 : Fax: (88 02) 956 521- 12
  Email: sg@citechco.net
  Website:
  Président: Ms. Rokia Afzal Rahman
  Vice-president: Mr. Muhammad A (Rumee) Ali
  Secretary General: Mr. Farooq Ahmed

Workers' Organizations

• National Coordination Committee on Workers Education (NCCWE)
  Bangladesh Mukta Sramik Federation
  23, Bangabandhu Avenue
  Dhaka
  Bangladesh
  Tel: (88 02) 955 4499
  Fax:
  Email: JSL@aitlbd.net
  Website:
  Chairman, NCCWE: Mr. Abdul Matin Master
  
• Bangladesh Jatiya Sramik Federation
  Jatiya Sramik Jote, Bangladesh
  35/36 Bangabandhu Avenue
  Dhaka
  Bangladesh
  Tel: (88 02) 955 9972
  Fax:
  Email: sjotebd@yahoo.com
  Website:
  Member Secretary: Mr. Abdul Kader Howlader
  

.