Labor law in Bangladesh

The framework generally covers private factories, shops and commercial or industrial establishments. Government offices, security printing presses, ordnance factories and certain non-profit education or research institutions are among the exclusions, while government employees follow a separate regime. Employment in an export processing zone follows the Bangladesh EPZ Labour Act 2019 and the BEPZA framework. No administrative or city-specific variation is supplied for this national overview, but the exact answer can change with the establishment category, sector, worker status, service rules and union or collective bargaining status. Informal workplace practice does not replace a statutory entitlement. The law recognises apprentice, substitute, temporary, casual, permanent and seasonal workers. At the start of employment, the employer must provide an appointment letter and photo identity card, maintain a worker register and provide an employer-funded service book. Service rules may provide equal or greater protection than the statute, subject to approval by the Chief Inspector or DIFE. Probation normally lasts six months for clerical work and three months for other work; a skilled worker may receive an additional three months where the applicable rule permits it. Normal working time is eight hours per day and 48 hours per week. Overtime can raise daily work to ten hours, weekly work to 60 hours and the annual average to 56 hours per week. A break of at least 30 minutes applies after more than five hours, and a break of at least one hour applies after more than six hours. Factories and industrial workplaces generally provide one weekly rest day, while shops and establishments generally provide one and a half days. Overtime is paid at twice the basic wage plus dearness allowance and any ad hoc or interim wage component. Common statutory leave includes ten paid casual-leave days and 14 paid sick-leave days per year, with a medical certificate required for sick leave. Earned leave for adult workers in factories, shops, industry and road transport generally accrues at one day for every 18 days worked, and festival leave is 13 paid days per year. A wage period cannot exceed one month, and wages generally have to be paid within seven working days after that period ends. Final termination dues generally have to be paid within 30 working days. Payment may be made in cash, by cheque, through a bank or digitally at the worker's request, while deductions are limited to those authorised by law. Minimum wages come from sector-, grade- and area-specific gazettes rather than one national rate. For example, the 2023 garment-sector gazette set a monthly minimum of BDT 12,500, but the applicable grade and allowances still require verification. Employment of children below 14 is prohibited. An adolescent aged 14 to under 18 may work only with a fitness certificate from a registered doctor and an identification token, and hazardous-work restrictions apply. Occupational safety, welfare, safety committees, medical facilities and childcare duties depend on the statutory threshold for the workplace. The employer must report a covered accident to DIFE and the Department of Labour within two working days. Injury and death compensation follows the Act, and a compensation claim generally has a two-year time limit. The amended framework and Rules also address violence and harassment, including gender-based forms, discrimination, blacklisting, maternity protection and workplace complaint mechanisms. Workers have rights to form and join trade unions. At least 20 workers may apply to form a union, but registration remains subject to the establishment-size membership formula and is handled by the Department of Labour. A sole union acts as the collective bargaining agent; where several unions exist, workers select the agent by secret ballot. A collective bargaining agent generally needs support from at least one third of the total workers. Collective disputes proceed through written notice, conciliation or mediation and, after failure, a certificate followed by strike or lockout notice. A strike or lockout normally begins seven to 14 days after notice, and the first two years carry a ban for a new or foreign establishment. Unfair labour practices and retaliation for union activity are prohibited. The amended industrial-relations chapter also covers domestic, agricultural, daily, temporary and digital-platform workers for defined purposes. An individual grievance under section 33 normally starts with a written complaint to the employer within 30 days. The employer then investigates, hears the worker and issues a decision within 30 days. If the deadline expires or the worker rejects the decision, the worker can generally complain to the Labour Court within the following 30 days. A section 33 complaint or appeal has no court fee. DIFE's LIMA complaint channels cover unpaid wages, unlawful dismissal, working hours and leave, accidents, occupational safety, maternity, harassment, child labour and safety committees. A DIFE complaint is free, but anonymity is limited; the toll-free helpline is 16357 and the citizen-charter target is 30 working days. The Labour Court has exclusive jurisdiction over labour matters covered by the Act. Appeals to the Labour Appellate Tribunal generally have to be filed within 60 days, while special wage or grievance appeals may have a 30-day period. A Labour Court may set a response deadline of up to ten days, with an extension of up to seven days, and the judgment target is 60 days with a possible extension of up to 90 days. Compensation claims under the labour framework do not normally follow ordinary civil-court proceedings. Termination rules differ by status and reason. Retrenchment means termination because the work is redundant, and lay-off and retrenchment compensation rules may apply. For a permanent worker, employer termination generally requires 120 days' notice for a monthly-rated worker or 60 days for another worker, or payment in lieu, together with statutory compensation or gratuity where applicable. A permanent worker normally gives 60 days' resignation notice. A temporary worker normally gives 30 days if monthly-rated or 14 days otherwise. A misconduct dismissal requires a written charge, an opportunity to be heard, an inquiry and assistance for the worker. Suspension pending inquiry may last up to 60 days with subsistence allowance. Discharge for certified incapacity or continuing ill-health can carry statutory compensation after the required qualifying service. Normal retirement is at 60 years. A section 33 challenge to a section 26 termination is limited, including cases involving union activity, malice or deprivation of a statutory benefit. Final dues remain subject to the 30-working-day payment rule.