The study is based on both secondary and primary sources. The secondary sources which have been
reviewed are: books, journals, reports, and data from various official and unofficial sources. For primary
sources, data from official sources have been collected, labour legislation and ILO Conventions have been
consulted and interviews conducted with trade union leaders, government officials, employers, and members
of civil society. Data from Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), Labour Force Survey (LFS), Bangladesh
Institute of Labour Studies (BILS), Department of Labour, Bangladesh Garments Manufacturing and
Exporters Association (BGMEA) have been extensively used for the purpose of this study. A list of people
interviewed is provided in the annexure. Both formal and informal interview methods were adopted to collect
qualitative information concerning various aspects of industrial relation in Bangladesh. We have also used
internet sources to collect information on industrial relations. A workshop was organized in Dhaka on 18
March 2009 under the auspices of ILO Office, Delhi to get opinion and recommendations on industrial
relations in Bangladesh.
As a methodology, both qualitative and quantitative approaches have been adopted. Besides presenting data,
the study analyses the historical evolution of industrial relations system and the legal instruments used
therein. Collection of data and statistics, particularly in the case of collective bargaining, was somewhat
impeded by the unavailability of official statistics.