Tawhid Hossain Sarkar: Under the initiative of Bangladesh Workers Welfare Federation, a program titled “We want a worker-friendly budget to establish the fair rights of workers” will be presented at the Tofazzal Hossain Manik Mia Hall on the 2nd floor of the National Press Club in the capital on Sunday, May 24, 2026 at 4:00 PM.
The proposed budget for the fiscal year 2026-2027 will be presented at the event.
Advocate Atiqur Rahman, the central president of Bangladesh Workers Welfare Federation, will present the proposed budget. The organization has informed that this year’s proposed budget proposal will give special importance to establishing the fair rights of workers, farmers and hardworking people, social security, healthcare, housing, employment and ensuring a humane life.
Earlier, on Monday, May 18, leaders of about 22 labor organizations participated in the pre-budget exchange meeting organized at the Abdus Salam Hall of the National Press Club in the capital and highlighted various problems and demands of the working people. They said that even after 54 years of independence, significant allocation has not been ensured for the labor sector in the national budget, whereas about 2 million new labor force is joining the workplace every year and about 10 million workers have entered the labor market in the last five years.
In this reality, the proposed budget will be presented according to the needs of the workers with at least 10 percent budget allocation for the labor and expatriate welfare sectors.
It is known that the proposed budget will give utmost importance to ensuring the rights of workers and fair wages. This will include the formulation of a national minimum wage framework, the formation of a wage protection fund, the introduction of wage guarantee insurance, and legal recognition of workers in the formal sector and special protection for women workers.
The reform and expansion of the social security sector will include the mandatory social security fund, a life-cycle-based social security system and family cards and There will also be proposals for the effective implementation of the Farmers Card, insurance benefits for workers in risky occupations, rehabilitation of families affected by various workplace accidents including Rana Plaza, formation of a migrant workers welfare fund and expansion of the activities of the Citizens’ Welfare and Workers’ Welfare Foundation in industrial areas.
The proposal for a fair tax structure will also present specific proposals on increasing the tax-GDP ratio, imposing higher taxes on the wealthy and preventing tax evasion and money laundering.
The proposed budget has also given importance to the development of the workers’ health, housing and ration system. It is learnt that there will be recommendations for the introduction of a universal ration system in industrial areas, expansion of workers’ healthcare, implementation of occupational disease diagnosis and treatment facilities and low-cost housing projects.
At the same time, in the employment and skill development sector, unemployment insurance will be introduced, re-skilling and up-skilling programs, unemployment allowance, apprenticeship allowance, work-oriented training, skill development of migrant workers and support for self-employed workers will be included, closed industries The demand for its resumption will also be included in the proposed budget, said the Bangladesh Workers’ Welfare Federation. The leaders of the organization expressed hope that the government will include this labor-friendly budget proposal in the country’s budget for the 26-27 fiscal year and play an important role in establishing the rights of the country’s working people and creating a non-discriminatory economic structure.
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