Next steps
Government Watch
Source: BDPolicyLab Watch record and cited public sourcesAs of 2026-07-05
The Ministry is currently focused on the large-scale implementation of the 2026 Labour Act amendments, including modernizing labor inspection systems and enforcing new trade union registration rules.
Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury departed for Geneva to attend the 114th International Labour Conference.
Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury held a bilateral meeting with Mauritius' Minister of Labour at the ILC.
State Minister Md. Nurul Hoque announced plans to establish district and upazila level Employment Exchange Centres.
A budget of Tk 467 crore was proposed for the Ministry of Labour and Employment for the 2026-27 fiscal year.
Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury holds a dual portfolio: Labour and Employment + Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment; both under one minister since 17 Feb 2026. Ministry established 20 January 1972. RMG sector minimum wage is Tk 12,500/month (set Dec 2023), with a 9% annual increment mechanism; next five-year statutory revision due ~2028; ILO roadmap annual review of the wage mechanism remains pending as of May 2026. Annual budget figure for Labour Ministry (Grant No. 28) could not be verified from an accessible primary source at this time; field left null rather than estimate. Verification based on 2+ primary sources for all named events and personnel data.
The Ministry agreed to form a joint committee with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to improve migrant welfare coordination.
Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury confirmed a bilateral understanding with Malaysia to eliminate recruitment syndicates.
Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury met with the Swiss Ambassador to discuss technical support for the Overseas Employment Platform.
Source: 20 primary source linksAs of 2026-07-05