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SAVAR, July 19, 2025 (BSS) - Brigadier General (retd.) Dr M Sakhawat Hussain today said workers are the main driving force of the country's economic development and the government has taken effective steps to fulfill all of their reasonable demands and needs. 

“All the reasonable demands of the workers will be accepted,” he said while addressing a workers' rally organized here marking the July Uprising. 
Sakhawat said the government has been working to remove the dissatisfaction of workers according to the Labour Law 2006. 
The Ministry of Labor and Employment is working with both the workers and the owners. Some unscrupulous owners are creating new problems while many employers are doing good work, he added.
The adviser said, “The interim government is committed to ensuring rights, security and welfare of workers. Work is on to amend labour laws, ensure fair wages, provide a safe working environment and develop the skills of workers.” 

In this connection, he said Bangladesh has made a strong appeal for the welfare of the workers at the ILO conference in Geneva.

The adviser said trade union registration has been made mandatory if there are 5 workers in any establishment. 

No industrial establishment will be able to blacklist a trade union, he said, adding social clubs will also come under the labour law.

Highlighting the contribution of workers to country’s development, he said the hard work of workers in agriculture, industry, garments and export sectors has kept the country's economy moving. 

He said remittances from expatriate workers are strengthening the country’s economy.

Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhtar, Primary and Mass Education Adviser Professor Dr Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar, Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs Adviser Sharmin S Murshid, Special Assistant to the Chief Advisor Lieutenant General (Retd) Abdul Hafiz, and Dhaka Divisional Commissioner Sharaf Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury, among others, addressed the rally as special guests with Labour and Employment Secretary AHM Shafiquzzaman in the chair.

Later, financial assistance was provided to 17 workers and their families at the event. In addition, assistance was provided to the families of workers killed and injured in the July mass uprising.