Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2011, published 101st ILC session (2012)

Right of Association (Agriculture) Convention, 1921 (No. 11) - Bangladesh (Ratification: 1972)

The Committee notes that the Industrial Relations Ordinance, 1969 was repealed and replaced by the Bangladesh Labour Act, 2006 (BLA). The Committee notes that the Government indicates in its report that the agricultural workers are mostly self-employed and according to the BLA, all agricultural workers engaged in agricultural farms are entitled to the right of association except those small farms where less than ten workers are normally employed and are normally run by individual owners with the aid of members of these families without employing any hired labour (section 1(4)(n)(p) BLA). The Committee once again recalls that, under Article 1, all those engaged in agriculture should enjoy the same rights of association and combination as industrial workers, which is particularly important in countries where a large proportion of the workforce is engaged in agriculture. The Committee requests the Government to indicate in its next report if workers employed in farms with less than ten workers are allowed to affiliate to a branch of activity trade union.