Emerging Transitions & a Decade of Social Dialogue: Not just a phrase, but a “culture” that needs to be institutionalised, say key garment industry actors

To mark a decade of work, Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) Bangladesh celebrated their flagship Social Dialogue Programme by arranging a multi-stakeholder dialogue event. This event has been supported by Sustainable Textile Initiative: Together for Change (STITCH).

Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed, Chairperson of the Bangladesh Labour Reform Commission of the interim Government of Bangladesh, and Ismail Hossain, Assistant Director, Ministry of Labour & Employment (MoLE) of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, had closed the event as chief guest and guest of honour, respectively.

Industry representation comprised 52 factory representatives (including both management and worker representatives), 34 trade union federation leaders, 18 brand representatives, and, 24 representatives from development partners, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), bilateral international organisations, NGOs/INGOs, etc.

The event served as a vibrant platform to critically assess the achievements and challenges of promoting social dialogue over the past decade and to chart a collaborative path forward for a more sustainable and inclusive RMG industry in Bangladesh.

Abil Bin Amin, Executive Director of ETI Bangladesh, in his welcome address, stated, “This milestone is a testament to the power of collaboration.”

The opening session set the stage, highlighting social dialogue not as a mere compliance tool but as an essential lifeline for dignity, justice, and hope for millions of workers, predominantly women and youth. Speakers at the event highlighted key milestones of the industry’s overall journey.

A major focus of the event was on unearthing existing opportunities and a call to action to institutionalise social dialogue for the industry’s immediate future.

Mr. Neeran Ramjuthan, Programme Manager for Labour Administration and Working Conditions at the ILO Bangladesh, emphasised, “Social dialogue is not just desirable; it is essential. We need systematic, institutionalised processes, better inclusivity for women and youth, and a strengthened national social dialogue to address critical issues like wages.”

Speakers stressed that through collective action and communication, impactful results are possible—demonstrating that social dialogue, collective bargaining (CBA) and freedom of association (FOA) carry a clear business case that can accelerate progress.

The event cemented that social dialogue in Bangladesh’s RMG sector must now move beyond pilot initiatives and be institutionalised across all levels.

The event featured two working sessions, one on workplace-based social dialogue and one on gender in social dialogue. The discussions explored progress, challenges, and the way forward for strengthening worker voices in Bangladesh’s RMG sector. Keynote discussions also covered worker participation, freedom of association, collective bargaining and intensive management engagement. The second keynote session particularly, highlighted the need for strengthened youth and women worker representation.

Discussants stressed the way of viewing worker representation must change. Worker representation is often seen as “ornamental”. Various opportunities exist to engage workers for the industry's progression. This 10-year landmark imprints the need to now meaningfully engage worker representatives, especially trade unions.

“Over 90% of the industry is comprised of youth and women workers. Yet, only 5-9% of them are in leadership roles,” noted Md. Shahinur Rahman, Bangladesh Country Consultant for Mondiaal FNV.

Md. Shahinur Rahman further added, "Only 12-13% of the industry workers are formally organised."

Key industry actors unanimously emphasised that trade union formation itself is a business case.

“Thanks to having a trade union in my factory, we did not face any unrest during the sporadic bouts of labour unrest since last year. Having trade unions alone is a business case,” said the general manager of a reputed RMG factory. Discussants echoed the sentiment, stating trade unions need to be rational and strategic about their roles and asks.

Here, collaborative learning and knowledge sharing through social dialogue are key.

“We don’t want just any trade union; we want 'our' own trade union that marries both global standards and our national context” – an industry expert.

The need for issue-specific and factory-specific CBAs was emphasised to ensure the long-term effectivity of social dialogue. This should include emerging and fundamental issues alike, such as climate, gender, Just Transition and even automation.

The closing session reinforced the day's key messages and issued a call to action.

Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed, Chairperson of the Bangladesh Labour Reform Commission (initiated by the interim Government of Bangladesh) and Executive Director of BILS, remarked, "Throughout this decade we have discussed social dialogue, but it is essential to develop the culture of it that spreads beyond any one industry."

The event concluded with a vote of thanks from Abil Bin Amin, Executive Director of ETI Bangladesh, stressing the need to institutionalise social dialogue across the board. "Enough pilot work has been laid down in these ten years; the next ten years need to be paved by an ambitious vision built on concrete steps toward practical action," says Abil Bin Amin.

Abil Bin Amin closed the event, stating, “Social dialogue is not just a business case but a fundamental right.”