Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) has urged the government to revise several provisions of the recently amended labor law, arguing that key industry concerns were overlooked in the final gazette.
At a press conference held at the association’s Dhaka office, BKMEA President Mohammad Hatem stated that decisions agreed upon during meetings of the Tripartite Consultative Council (TCC) were not fully reflected in the final version of the law.
One of the major concerns raised by BKMEA relates to the definition of “workers.” According to Hatem, the agreed definition discussed at the TCC meetings was excluded, while the final gazette classifies officers and executives of factories and companies as workers—an inclusion the industry finds problematic.
The association also highlighted inconsistencies regarding the government-backed Progoti Universal Insurance Scheme. While earlier discussions suggested that adopting the scheme would suffice as a provident fund mechanism, the final gazette requires workers to individually apply for the scheme to receive provident fund benefits.
Hatem warned that this provision could impose a dual financial burden on factory owners. If workers do not enroll in the scheme, employers would be required to maintain separate provident fund arrangements, increasing operational costs and necessitating additional administrative staff.
He further called on the government to address these issues before placing the amended law in parliament for further deliberation.
The labor law was revised during the tenure of the previous interim government, largely in response to pressure from international stakeholders such as the European Union and the International Labor Organization, aiming to strengthen labor rights and compliance standards.
