Bangladesh Employers' Federation

25/08/2026

The Labour Law and Regulatory Affairs Cell of Bangladesh Employers' Federation (BEF), with technical assistance from the International Labour Organization (ILO) Country Office for Bangladesh, organized a two-day capacity-building training on "Understanding the Legal Framework of BLA and ILS: Integrating Responsible Business Conduct and Human Rights Due Diligence" during 24-25 August 2026 at the MCCI Conference Hall in
Motijheel, Dhaka.
Supported under the Team Europe Initiative on Decent Work in Bangladesh, the program focused on the Bangladesh Labour Act (BLA), International Labour Standards (ILS), and their integration with Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) and Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD).
BEF Secretary-General and CEO, Mr. Farooq Ahmed, delivered the welcome address. Mr. Muhammad Habibur Rahman, Assistant Secretary-General (Legal Affairs), BEF, conducted a training session on the basic provisions of the Bangladesh Labour Act (BLA) and their practical implications for enterprises. He also conducted sessions on International Labour Standards (ILS), covering the ILO’s Fundamental Conventions, Protocols, and Recommendations.
Mr. Md. Saidul Islam, Additional Secretary-General, BEF, conducted a session on the importance of Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) and Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) in business, highlighting the benefits of compliance. He concluded the program by summarizing the key lessons and outlining the way forward.
A total of 20 participants, including 12 male and 8 female, representing HR, Administration, and Compliance functions from 11 pharmaceutical companies and other enterprises, attended the training.

25/08/2026

Bangladesh Employers’ Federation (BEF), in collaboration with the ProGRESS Project of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Country Office for Bangladesh, organized a two-day Training of Trainers (ToT) on the “Gender Equality Guidelines for Employers and Operational Manual for Employers and Business” during August 24–25, 2026, at the MCCI Gulshan Office in Dhaka.

The training aimed to equip industry leaders and HR professionals with practical tools to promote gender equality in the workplace. Participants were introduced to the Gender Operational Manual, relevant policy frameworks, practical templates, and monitoring mechanisms to help develop and implement gender-responsive workplace policies. Interactive sessions also encouraged peer learning and the development of organization-specific action plans.

Mr. Saidul Islam, Additional Secretary-General of BEF, inaugurated the program and emphasized gender equality as an important driver of business innovation and growth.

Mr. Joha Jamilur Rahman, Head of Training at BEF, facilitated the interactive sessions and outlined the program’s objectives and expected outcomes. Mr. Pedro Jr. Bellen, Chief Technical Advisor of the ILO ProGRESS Project, highlighted the importance of addressing gender issues to strengthen business competitiveness, particularly in the context of Bangladesh’s post-LDC graduation transition. Ms. Masreka Khan, Senior Programme Officer (Gender and Skills Policy), shared the ILO’s vision for advancing gender equality in business.

Around 23 representatives from businesses, employers’ organizations, HR departments, management, entrepreneurship, and Industry Skills Councils (ISCs) participated in the training.

23/08/2026

20/08/2026

Bangladesh Employers’ Federation (BEF), jointly with the International Labour Organization (ILO), Labour Administration and Working Conditions (LAWC) Cluster, organized a Knowledge Session on the Handbook on Labour Dispute Prevention and Resolution and a Consultation Session with Employers on Strategic Guiding Principles to Strengthen Bipartite Social Dialogue Mechanisms on 20 August 2026 at SCCI Conference Hall, Sylhet.
The session aimed to enhance employers’ and HR/IR practitioners’ understanding of labour dispute prevention and resolution mechanisms and strengthen bipartite social dialogue at the workplace.
The opening session featured remarks by Mr. Moslem Uddin, Assistant Secretary General, BEF, Mr. Gulam Akter Faruk, Executive Secretary, Sylhet Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), and Ms. Nada Aridhi, Technical Specialist, LAWC, ILO. Mr. Chowdhury Albab Kadir, Senior Programme Officer, LAWC, ILO, delivered presentations on labour dispute prevention and resolution, followed by an open forum. The consultation session on bipartite social dialogue was facilitated by Ms. Rukshana Yasmin Arzoo, Senior Programme Officer, LAWC, ILO.
Mr. Moslem Uddin delivered the concluding remarks. A total of 25 participants, including representatives of local chamber member organizations and industry leaders, attended the session.

17/08/2026

Bangladesh Employers’ Federation (BEF), with technical assistance from the International Labour Organization (ILO) Country Office for Bangladesh, organized a two-day training on Tailor-Made Toolkit for Social Dialogue Mechanisms on 16–17 August 2026 at the MCCI Conference Hall, Motijheel, Dhaka.
The training aimed to strengthen the capacity of BEF member enterprises to establish and sustain effective workplace social dialogue mechanisms. The program covered social dialogue, industrial relations, collective bargaining, workplace cooperation, communication, negotiation, conflict prevention, and the practical application of the Handbook on Social Dialogue in Bangladesh: A Toolkit for Employers.
Mr. Md. Saidul Islam, Additional Secretary-General, BEF, delivered the welcome address. Ms. Rukshana Yasmin Arzoo, Senior Programme Officer, ILO Country Office for Bangladesh, conducted the training and presented the toolkit modules. Ms. Nada Aridhi, Technical Specialist, LAWC Cluster, ILO Bangladesh, attended the closing session, while Mr. Moslem Uddin, Assistant Secretary-General, BEF, thanked the participants and formally concluded the training program.
The training was attended by 27 participants, including HR, compliance, industrial relations, legal, and management professionals from BEF member organizations.

17/08/2026

Bangladesh Employers’ Federation (BEF), in collaboration with the ProGRESS Project of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Country Office for Bangladesh, successfully organized a day-long “Knowledge Sharing Workshop on Green Financing” on 17 August 2026 at the MCCI’s Gulshan Office, Dhaka.
The workshop aimed to enhance understanding of the stakeholders on green financing concepts, frameworks, and instruments, raise awareness on Bangladesh Bank’s sustainable finance initiatives, and identify challenges and opportunities in accessing green finance.
Mr. Chowdhury Liakat Ali, Director, Sustainable Finance Department (SFD), Bangladesh Bank and Mr. Muhammad Nazrul Islam, Deputy Managing Director (DMD), AB Bank PLC. delivered a keynote presentation on the overview of green financing in Bangladesh, highlighting green banking policies and sustainable finance initiatives.
The session was moderated by Mr. Joha Jamilur Rahman, Head of Training, BEF and Mr. Tanjel Ahsan, Senior Programme Officer, ProGRESS Project of ILO.The discussion concluded with a summary and way forward by Mr. Saidul Islam, Additional Secretary-General, BEF.
A total of around 22 participants from industry and business sectors, banking sector, as well as financial and non-financial institutions including representatives from Bangladesh Bank actively engaged in the workshop contributing to dialogue and knowledge exchange on sustainable investment and environmental compliance.

13/08/2026

Bangladesh Employers’ Federation (BEF), in collaboration with the ProGRESS Project of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Country Office for Bangladesh, organized a 2-day Training of Trainers (TOT) on the "Gender Equality Guidelines for the Employers and Operational Manual for the Employers and Business" on August 12-13, 2026 at the Conference Hall, Chittagong Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CWCCI), Agrabad, Chattogram.

The TOT aimed to enhance participants' understanding of gender equality principles, build facilitation and knowledge-sharing capacity, familiarize industry representatives with the Gender Operational Manual, and provide practical guidance, tools, and monitoring mechanisms for mainstreaming gender equality in workplace policies and practices. The training program demonstrated the framework of the Guidelines and the Operational Manual, allowing participants to review international and national policy commitments, master key components of gender-responsive workplace policies, and practice using practical tools, templates, and checklists. Interactive discussions enabled stakeholders to share their experiences and develop actionable implementation and dissemination plans for their respective organizations.

Mr. Joha Jamilur Rahman, Head of Training, BEF facilitated the session, outlining the objectives and expected outcomes, employing participatory methods to engage attendees throughout the sessions. Ms. Masreka Khan, Senior Programme Officer- Gender and Skills Policy, ProGRESS project of ILO chaired the inaugural session and extended a warm welcome to the attendees, providing speech about ILO’s views on gender equality and its implication in business.

Around 19 participants (Female-5 and Male 14), including representatives from business enterprises, employers, HR professionals, managers, entrepreneurs, NGOs, and industry associations from Chattogram, actively participated in the training, contributing valuable insights to help promote gender-responsive workplace practices and strengthen sustainable equality initiatives in Bangladesh.

02/08/2026

The Bangladesh Employers’ Federation (BEF), in partnership with the ProGRESS Project of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Country Office for Bangladesh, organized a final testing workshop on the Skills Matching System with the multi-stakeholders on 30 July 2026 at the Chittagong Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CWCCI), Chattogram.



Md. Mahmud Hasan, Joint Secretary, Director (Planning and Development), DTE provide his speech as chief guest. The workshop was facilitated by Mr. Joha Jamilur Rahman, Head of Training, BEF; Mr. Md. Wasfi Tamim, National Programme Officer (Private Sector Engagement), ILO; and Mr. Tanjel Ahsan, Senior Programme Officer, ProGRESS Project, ILO.



To address systemic gaps in workforce alignment, BEF and the ILO ProGRESS Project have jointly developed a digital Skills Matching System—a data-driven platform designed to connect job seekers, training providers, and employers. The system aims to optimize workforce planning and enhance employability outcomes across Bangladesh.



The workshop was convened to Validate the operational functionality, interface usability, and user experience of the platform in a real-world setting. Assess the technical capability of the system to accurately match skills supply with industry demand and Pilot the software with key stakeholders to promote and institutionalize the Skills Needs Anticipation (SNA) approach.



Around 32 participants, including representatives from TVET institutions, employers, women entrepreneurs actively participated in the workshops, contributing valuable insights to validate the newly developed software on skills Matching System and strengthen skills matching initiatives in Bangladesh.

29/07/2026

The 28th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Bangladesh Employers’ Federation (BEF) was held on Wednesday, 29 July 2026, at the BEF Gulshan office. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Fazlee Shamim Ehsan, President, BEF. Representatives from BEF member organizations joined the meeting.

21/07/2026

The Bangladesh Employers’ Federation (BEF) was honored to welcome Mr. Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director‑General of the International Labour Organization (ILO), during his first official visit to BEF’s Motijheel office on 20 July 2026. Mr. Houngbo engaged in a productive meeting with business representatives led by BEF President, Mr. Fazlee Shamim Ehsan, where key issues of mutual interest were discussed. The meeting was followed by a session with distinguished representatives of government, workers’ groups, and the private sector, underscoring the importance of tripartite collaboration.