Yunus pledges labour reforms to boost foreign investment

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus announced on Thursday that his administration will implement key labor reforms to attract more foreign investment into Bangladesh's manufacturing sector. 

Yunus shared this commitment in a meeting with former British Prime Minister Theresa May at the COP29 global climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan.

"Labour reform is one of our top priorities, and we are committed to addressing all labor-related issues," Yunus told May as they discussed Bangladesh’s progress in recent years. May expressed a strong interest in collaborating on labor reform and raised concerns regarding human trafficking and migration issues in the region.

Yunus advocated for expanding legal migration routes from Bangladesh to Europe, emphasising that this could reduce irregular migration and help combat human trafficking. 

As a gesture of goodwill, Yunus presented May with ‘The Art of Triumph’, a book showcasing graffiti and murals created by Bangladeshi youth during the July-August uprising.

The meeting was also attended by Special Envoy Lutfey Siddiqi, Senior Secretary and SDG Coordinator Lamiya Morshed, and M Anamul Haq, Bangladesh's ambassador to Turkey and Azerbaijan.