Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said Bangladesh presented various steps, taken to reform its labour sector, to the world community by participating in the 'World of Work Summit: Social Justice for All' held in Geneva recently.

"Overall, by participating in the 'World of Work Summit: Social Justice for All', we have been able to present the various steps, taken by the government to reform the labour sector, to the world community," she told a press conference at Ganabhaban here on her recent visits to Qatar and Switzerland, reports BSS.

Following is the full text of the written speech of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Dear Journalists, Colleagues

Assalamu Alaikum.

I visited Geneva from June 13 to June 16, 2023 to attend the 'World of Work Summit: Social Justice for All' at the invitation of the Director General of the International Labor Organization (ILO). The main objective of this summit was to take strong, coordinated and integrated actions towards global social justice. Besides, its object was to ensure the support of world leaders in the initiative of forming a global alliance titled 'Global Coalition for Social Justice' proposed by the ILO Director General.

The inaugural session of the summit was held in the morning of June 14. Apart from the representatives of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the owners' and workers' leaders participated in this session.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi paid a courtesy call on me in that morning.

During the meeting, I called on UNHCR to create a congenial environment in Myanmar for quick and safe repatriation of Rohingyas.

At the same time, I sought their support in expediting the temporary relocation of a section of Rohingya population to Bhasanchar. I expressed concern over the declining amount of international financial assistance, including food aid, for the Rohingya population and emphasised the importance of maintaining the attention of the international community to this end.

Then, Prince Rahim Aga Khan paid a courtesy call on me on behalf of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). During the meeting, views were exchanged on the ongoing activities of AKDN in the field of education in the country as well as the expansion of AKDN's activities in various fields, including nursing training, teachers training and climate adaptation.

In the afternoon, I had a bilateral meeting with His Excellency the President of the Swiss Confederation, Alain Berset. During the meeting, the Swiss President recalled his visit to Bangladesh in 2018. I called upon the Swiss government to continue special trade privileges for Bangladesh after its graduation from the list of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

The Rohingya situation was discussed with the Swiss President and I called upon the international community, including Switzerland, to play an active role in resolving the crisis. In our presence, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on knowledge and skills development was signed between Bangladesh and the Swiss Confederation.

In the afternoon, I addressed the plenary session of the 'World of Work Summit 2023' at the UN Office in Geneva. I highlighted the various initiatives taken to establish social justice with the spirit of the Great Liberation War as well as the various labour-friendly programmes and initiatives taken by our government. I specifically mentioned that a major industrialised country in the world ratified only two ILO fundamental instruments but Bangladesh has ratified eight out of 10 fundamental instruments.

I reiterated our government's firm commitment to creating a safe work environment, eliminating child labour, ending harassment of women at work places, promoting environment-friendly industries, etc. I also presented five-point recommendations to make fruitful the initiative of forming a global alliance for the establishment of social justice. Quoting the speeches of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, I said only social justice can lay the foundation for ensuring peace and sustainable development.

In the afternoon of the same day, I had a meeting with His Excellency the President of Malta George Vella. During the meeting, bilateral trade, safe, orderly and regular migration and increasing cooperation in the knowledge-based sector of blue economy were discussed.

Later, I had a meeting with Gilbert F Houngbo, Director General of the International Labor Organization (ILO). I informed the ILO Director General that I myself play the role of bargaining agent on behalf of the workers of Bangladesh. At this time, I reminded that the minimum wage of garment workers has been consistently increased in every term of our government. We have raised the minimum wage of garment workers from Taka 1,600 to Taka 8,000.

Later, I held a meeting with His Excellency Cyril Ramaphosa, the President of South Africa. At this time, I paid my tributes to the memory of the late leader Nelson Mandela and recalled his visit to Bangladesh on the twenty-fifth anniversary of our independence.

President Ramaphosa lauded Bangladesh's socioeconomic and labour sector achievements and congratulated Bangladesh on becoming a member of the New Development Bank.

I conveyed to him, as the current chair of BRICS, that Bangladesh is interested to join the alliance. He said there is a possibility of taking a decision on increasing the number of members of the alliance at the BRICS summit to be held in Johannesburg in next August. I requested him to set up South Africa's Embassy in Dhaka.

In the evening, I attended a dinner hosted by the ILO Director General at the ILO headquarters.

In the morning of June 15, Qatar's Minister of Labour and the president of this year's International Labour Conference Dr Ali Bin Samikh Al Mari paid a courtesy call on me. During the meeting, he praised the role of 3,70,000 Bangladeshi expatriates working in Qatar. Besides, he expressed interest in recruiting more Bangladeshi workers in Qatar.

After that, I joined the discussion titled 'New Economy and Society in Smart Bangladesh' organised at the office of the World Economic Forum.