The right to freedom of association is fundamental for the establishment of labour unionism as an institution. While the Government of Bangladesh requires enabling legal provisions for unionization in its garment industry, regulation to ensure the right to freedom of association has proved ineffective in upholding labour unionism. This article highlights the need for legislation capable of drawing on the complementary skills and resources of the Government, factory owners, labour unions and global brands to secure a sustained commitment and contribution towards the socio‐economic and political dimensions of labour relations in Bangladesh's ready‐made garment industry.

Although many households in Bangladesh employ domestic workers, these workers remain outside any legal regulation framework. By evaluating the country’s legal context, this article reveals that existing legal provisions for domestic work are extremely limited and insufficiently safeguard workers’ rights. A new regulation is necessary; this article details the essentials of such legislation. The proposed legislation involves a stakeholder initiative to transform the existing manipulative dependency relationship to a more equitable relationship between the domestic workers and their employers.

Resumen. El derecho de libertad sindical es fundamental para institucionalizar el sindicalismo. La Constitución y el Código del Trabajo de Bangladesh lo reconocen, pero sus disposiciones han demostrado ser ineficaces para garantizar su ejercicio en la industria de la confección. A fin de corregir las deplorables condiciones laborales de la misma, se requiere un marco legislativo integral que promueva las aptitudes y recursos complementarios del Gobierno, de los propietarios de fábricas, de los sindicatos y de las marcas mundiales hacia un compromiso y una contribución permanentes a las dimensiones socioeconómicas y políticas de las relaciones laborales en la industria de la confección de Bangladesh. Palabras clave: libertad sindical, derechos en el trabajo, sindicalismo, industria de la confección, regulación del trabajo, Bangladesh, países intensivos en trabajo.