§ 1Short title and commencement
The Bangladesh Labour Act, 2006 is the principal legislation governing employment conditions, workers' rights, and industrial relations in Bangladesh. It applies to every establishment employing five or more workers — including factories, shops, commercial establishments, transport services, plantations, and other industrial undertakings — though it excludes government offices, certain educational institutions, and domestic workers from some chapters. The Act consolidates and replaces twenty-five earlier labour laws. Its key mechanisms include regulation of working hours (eight hours per day, forty-eight per week), overtime pay at double the ordinary rate, annual leave with wages, sick leave, maternity leave (sixteen weeks with full pay for eligible women), and public holiday entitlements. The Act establishes a comprehensive safety framework covering workplace hygiene, dangerous machinery, fire protection, and first aid. It prohibits child labour entirely and restricts adolescent employment in hazardous work. A major portion of the Act governs trade union formation, registration, collective bargaining, and the resolution of industrial disputes through conciliation, labour courts, and an appellate tribunal. Notable provisions include protections against unfair dismissal, retrenchment compensation, an employer-funded provident fund, and since recent amendments, explicit prohibitions on gender-based violence, sexual harassment, and forced labour. The Act is in full force and is the cornerstone of Bangladesh's labour regulatory framework.
Full text · showing key sections
§ 2Definitions
§ 3Application of the Act
§ 4Non-application
§ 5Superior rights of workers
§ 6Employment contract
§ 7Service book
§ 8Identity card
§ 9Classification of workers
§ 10Appointment
§ 11Medical examination
§ 12Working hours
§ 13Weekly holiday
§ 14Overtime
§ 15Night shift
§ 16Rest period
§ 17Leave
§ 18Annual leave
§ 19Sick leave
§ 20Casual leave
§ 21Festival leave
§ 22Maternity leave
§ 23Wages
§ 24Mode of payment
§ 25Time of payment
§ 26Deduction from wages
§ 27Minimum wage
§ 28Wages for overtime
§ 29Safety measures
§ 30Health and hygiene
§ 31Welfare measures
§ 32First aid
§ 33Canteen
§ 34Rest room
§ 35Childcare facilities
§ 36Employment of young workers
§ 37Prohibition of child labour
§ 38Hours for young workers
§ 39Medical examination of young workers
§ 40Register of young workers
§ 41Trade union
§ 42Registration of trade union
§ 43Procedure for registration
§ 44Certificate of registration
§ 45Cancellation of registration
§ 46Appeal against cancellation
§ 47Rules of trade union
§ 48Membership of trade union
§ 49Office bearers
§ 50Trade union fund
The Bangladesh Labour Act, 2006 is the principal legislation governing employment conditions, workers' rights, and industrial relations in Bangladesh. It applies to every establishment employing five or more workers — including factories, shops, commercial establishments, transport services, plantations, and other industrial undertakings — though it excludes government offices, certain educational institutions, and domestic workers from some chapters. The Act consolidates and replaces twenty-five earlier labour laws. Its key mechanisms include regulation of working hours (eight hours per day, forty-eight per week), overtime pay at double the ordinary rate, annual leave with wages, sick leave, maternity leave (sixteen weeks with full pay for eligible women), and public holiday entitlements. The Act establishes a comprehensive safety framework covering workplace hygiene, dangerous machinery, fire protection, and first aid. It prohibits child labour entirely and restricts adolescent employment in hazardous work. A major portion of the Act governs trade union formation, registration, collective bargaining, and the resolution of industrial disputes through conciliation, labour courts, and an appellate tribunal. Notable provisions include protections against unfair dismissal, retrenchment compensation, an employer-funded provident fund, and since recent amendments, explicit prohibitions on gender-based violence, sexual harassment, and forced labour. The Act is in full force and is the cornerstone of Bangladesh's labour regulatory framework.