Desk Report:
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman received a courtesy call from Gilbert F. Hongbo, Director-General of the International Labor Organization (ILO). The meeting, held at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Bangladesh Secretariat on Monday (July 20, 2026), discussed various issues including workers’ rights, safe working conditions, skill development and implementation of international labor standards.
At the beginning of the meeting, the ILO Director-General congratulated Tarique Rahman on assuming office as Prime Minister. He said that the international community’s trust in Bangladesh has further strengthened after the government elected by the people took office. In this context, the ILO is keen to further strengthen its long-standing partnership with Bangladesh and will continue to work closely with the government to develop the labor sector.
In response, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman thanked the ILO for its continuous cooperation and said that protecting workers’ rights, ensuring safe working conditions and implementing international labor standards are among the priorities of the current government.
At the meeting, the ILO Director-General said that the election of Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman as the President of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly is an important recognition of Bangladesh’s diplomatic capacity and acceptance in the international arena. He also praised the various diplomatic successes achieved by Bangladesh in the international arena in a short period of time.
Both sides exchanged views on social security of workers, increasing work efficiency, expanding employment opportunities and developing skilled human resources in line with the changing needs of the global labor market. In addition, emphasis was placed on the progress of the ready-made garment industry, safety at work, development of the informal labor market, Bangladesh’s progress in implementing international labor standards and increasing cooperation between the government and the ILO to further advance the ongoing reform activities in the labor sector.
The meeting also discussed ensuring the rights and welfare of migrant workers, establishing a safe and orderly immigration system and expanding cooperation to develop the skills of overseas workers.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring a worker-friendly, safe and sustainable working environment. On the other hand, the ILO Director-General expressed his determination to further expand the organization’s existing cooperation with Bangladesh and work together for the development of the labor sector.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Labor and Employment Ariful Haque Chowdhury, Prime Minister’s Advisor on Labor and Employment Mahdi Amin, Secretary of the Ministry of Labor and Employment Md. Abdur Rahman Tarafdar, Director General (United Nations) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Md. Kamruzzaman, ILO Country Director in Bangladesh Max Tuñón, and Senior Advisor to the Director-General of the ILO Headquarters, Geneva Hitomi Nakagome.
