Geneva, Switzerland, June 13 (V7N) – Bangladesh has taken over as the new coordinator for the Asia-Pacific Group (ASPAG) countries within the International Labour Organization (ILO), effective yesterday. The country assumed this responsibility from Japan for a one-year term during a meeting of ASPAG labor ministers held in Geneva, Switzerland.

At the meeting, Bangladesh's Labor and Employment Adviser, Brigadier General (Retd) Dr. M Sakhawat Hossain, sought the support of all member countries, stating, "We are committed to building a fair and inclusive labor market."

Adviser Hossain began by thanking the ILO and outgoing ASPAG coordinator Japan, highlighting the Asia-Pacific region's significant contribution of "60 percent of the global labor market and 40 percent of the GDP." However, he also acknowledged the region's various challenges, including the large informal sector, social protection deficits, and the escalating climate crisis.

Discussions at the meeting covered a range of critical issues pertinent to the ASPAG countries, including sustainable development, workers' rights, the protection of migrant workers, and strategies to address the impacts of climate change.

Highlighting Bangladesh's own progress, the adviser stated that the Ministry of Labor and Employment, under the leadership of Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, is actively working to amend the Labor Act 2006, facilitate trade union registration, and enhance the working environment for laborers. "In addition, skill development and employment creation for youth are our priorities," he added.

The meeting saw the presence of ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo, representatives from 14 countries of the Asia-Pacific Group, as well as key Bangladeshi officials including Secretary of the Ministry of Labor and Employment AHM Shafiquzzaman, BEPZA Chairman Major General Abul Kalam Mohammad Ziaur Rahman, and Additional Inspector General of Police Gazi Jasim Uddin.

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