Current Status and Evolution of Industrial Relations System in Bangladesh

[Excerpt] The study is based on both secondary and primary sources. The secondary sources which have been reviewed are: books, journals, reports, and data from various official and unofficial sources. For primary sources, data from official sources have been collected, labour legislation and ILO Conventions have been consulted and interviews conducted with trade union leaders, government officials, employers, and members of civil society. Data from Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), Labour Force Survey (LFS), Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS), Department of Labour, Bangladesh Garments Manufacturing and Exporters Association (BGMEA) have been extensively used for the purpose of this study. A list of people interviewed is provided in the annexure. Both formal and informal interview methods were adopted to collect qualitative information concerning various aspects of industrial relation in Bangladesh. We have also used internet sources to collect information on industrial relations. A workshop was organized in Dhaka on 18 March 2009 under the auspices of ILO Office, Delhi to get opinion and recommendations on industrial relations in Bangladesh. As a methodology, both qualitative and quantitative approaches have been adopted. Besides presenting data, the study analyses the historical evolution of industrial relations system and the legal instruments used therein. Collection of data and statistics, particularly in the case of collective bargaining, was somewhat impeded by the unavailability of official statistics