Bangla Press Desk: When Aklima, a 38-year-old garment worker from Manikganj, lost her job in 2017, she turned to the labour court hoping for justice. Eight years later, her case remains unresolved, drained by countless trips to Dhaka, mounting expenses, and endless delays.
Aklima’s story is far from unique. Across the country, specialised labour courts – meant to protect workers’ rights and offer quicker, more accessible justice – have instead become a special cause of suffering.
Long distances, legal backlogs, and weak enforcement mean many workers, like Aklima, suffer all over again when seeking redress. The very courts designed to protect them often deepen their hardship.
Bangladesh has 14 labour courts, including a Labour Appellate Tribunal. These courts were created to handle employment disputes more quickly and cheaply than regular courts, without much of the red tape. But in practice, workers often find it harder to get justice here than in any other courtroom.
“These problems affect their ability to seek redress.”
The main reasons?
Labour courts in the country are often far from where workers live or work. Of the 14 courts, three are in Dhaka, two in Chattogram, and the rest are spread thinly across other cities like Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet, Barishal, Rangpur, Narayanganj, Gazipur and Cumilla. Many industrial belts, such as Habiganj, have no court at all.
“We know many workers can’t go to court simply because they can’t take leave or afford the trip,” said Soma Munshi, a union leader and garment worker from Dhaka’s Shewrapara area.
“There should be a labour court in every district.”
Alam Hossain agrees, but adds a dose of realism, “While it may not be possible to set up courts in every district, at least every industrial zone should have one.”
“It would be more convenient if labour courts were within the main court complexes. But space is an issue,” she said.
She also noted that many workers no longer live in their native upazilas, suggesting that courts in key industrial hubs might serve more people.
Even where courts exist, the challenges don’t end. Legal delays are a major issue.
The law says labour cases should be resolved within 60 days, extendable by 90 more with valid reasons. But in reality, most cases drag on for two to three years – or much longer. There’s no known example of a case finishing within the legal time limit.
“I’ve travelled back and forth from Manikganj to Dhaka so many times,” she said, adding, “I’ve spent so much money. I’m just tired and frustrated now.”
There is also a lack of trust in the system.
Lawyers for employers are often accused of delaying proceedings deliberately.
In some courts, members reportedly leave by early afternoon, slowing things down even further. And even when courts issue rulings, payments are often delayed or ignored altogether.
“For these reasons, many workers simply give up,” said Alam Hossain. “The suffering – emotional, financial, and physical – is just too much.”
As of 28 April 2025, there are 22,737 pending cases across Bangladesh’s labour courts. The Labour Appellate Tribunal alone has 1,206.
The distribution is uneven. Courts in Sylhet, Rajshahi, Rangpur, and Barishal have under 100 cases each, while Gazipur – home to a booming industrial sector – has a staggering 5,851. Dhaka’s three courts together are handling over 10,800 cases.
Habiganj, another growing industrial district, has no court of its own. “If there were one in Habiganj instead of Sylhet, we’d see many more cases filed,” said Barrister Samira Tanzin Chowdhury of the Harris Chowdhury Foundation.
She believes the government needs to rethink how and where labour courts are placed. “It’s not just about numbers. We need courts where workers actually are.”
Even in places like Gazipur, where a labour court has recently been set up, challenges remain. “There’s still a strong tendency for employers to block workers from filing cases,” said Advocate Shila.
“And awareness is low. Many workers don’t even know they have the right to go to court,” she added.
Then there is the issue of expertise. Labour law is a specialised field, but some judges may lack the necessary background. This adds to delays and poor judgments.
Barrister Samira Chowdhury believes part of the solution lies in improving the system from within.
“We need proper monitoring of courts, and training programmes for judges so they’re equipped to handle these cases,” she concluded. Source: DS
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