Despite an increase in absolute allocation, the labour sector’s proportional share in the national budget has been declining over the years, economist Dr. Golam Moazzem said on Tuesday.
Speaking at a roundtable titled “What Kind of Budget Do Workers Need?” at the National Press Club, the Research Director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) pointed out that in the 2020-21 fiscal year, the allocation for the Ministry of Labour was 11 paisa for every Tk 100 in the budget. By FY2023-24, it had dropped to 9 paisa.
The event was organized by the Bangladesh Textile Garment Workers Federation.
“Even though the allocation has gone up in terms of amount, it has declined proportionally compared to other sectors,” Moazzem said.
He attributed this downward trend to a longstanding tendency across all governments to treat workers as a lower social and political priority.
“We expect to see how much of the Labour Reform Commission’s recommendations are reflected in the upcoming budget,” he added.
Moazzem also urged political parties to ensure that at least 10% of their nominees in the upcoming national elections are workers or represent labour interests.
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In a written proposal, the federation’s president Mahbubur Rahman Ismail said that despite an agreement reached in September last year among worker representatives, factory owners, and the labour ministry to implement a rationing system, no measures have been taken yet.
“Bangladesh is graduating from LDC status to a middle-income country. In such a context, it is unacceptable that workers continue to live below the poverty line,” he said.
The proposal outlined eight key demands: introducing rationing for workers, allocating 10% of the national budget to the labour sector, building hospitals in labor-dense areas, forming a workers’ safety fund, establishing worker housing, creating a universal welfare fund, and forming a workers' caucus in Parliament.
The Labour Reform Commission has also recommended rationing support for workers.
BKMEA President Mohammad Hatem said that both BGMEA and BKMEA support all legitimate demands of workers.
“This year, even a token allocation in the national budget could initiate the rationing system,” he said. “We also urge workers not to engage in destructive activities like arson and vandalism. While 95% of workers are peaceful, the remaining 5% tarnish the reputation of the entire sector.”
Referring to past examples like the Adamjee Jute Mills, Labour Reform Commission Chairman Sultan Uddin Ahmed criticized modern factories for neglecting worker accommodation.
“Factory owners today say that housing workers together could lead to increased political activity,” he said.
Worker Dulal Chandra Mojumdar noted that even five-star hotels like Hotel Sonargaon maintain wage disparities and fail to provide housing for all staff.
Raju Ahmed, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Workers’ Federation, stated: “Workers represent the largest share of the job market. Yet their votes hold little value. Without gaining power and participating in governance, workers’ demands will not be fulfilled.”
Jasim Uddin, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Motor Vehicle Mechanics Federation, said: “We make broken-down vehicles run again — the government must listen to us. If not, we will be forced to take to the streets.”
To press home their demands, including the implementation of rationing, President Mahbubur Rahman announced plans for mass rallies on May 30 in Gazipur, Savar, and Chattogram industrial zones, and on June 1 in front of the Department of Labour in Dhaka.