A tragic accident occurred at the Kisan Feed Industry in Ratnanagar Municipality, Chitwan, where a wall collapsed, injuring five workers. Among them, three workers lost their lives while undergoing treatment at Chitwan Medical College.

The wall of the feed industry, located in Shantikunja Tole, Ratnanagar-12, collapsed in the morning of October 15, 2025.

According to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Rabindra Khanal of the District Police Office, Chitwan, the deceased have been identified as:

• Sumra Darai (45) of Khairahani Municipality-2,
• Ramesh Damai (45), originally from Gorkha, currently residing in Ratnanagar-12, and
• Kamal Gurung (45) of Ratnanagar-12.

At least 16 workers were killed in a massive fire that broke out at a garment factory in the Mirpur area of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, on October 14, 2025. Authorities have warned that the death toll may rise further.

It took more than three hours for firefighters to bring the blaze under control in the four-story building. The Fire Service and Civil Defence Department reported that identifying the 16 recovered bodies has been difficult due to the extent of the damage.

A women’s seminar organized by JTUCC on the topic “Impact of Climate Change on Women, Just Transition, and Gender Issues in Nepal” was held on October 14, 2025.

Dr. Roj Nath Pandey delivered a presentation on the impact of climate change on women, just transition, and gender-related issues in Nepal.

The program featured remarks from GEFONT President Binod Shrestha, JTUCC President Jagat Bahadur Simkhada, and other distinguished guests.

The seminar was chaired by GEFONT Vice President and JTUCC Women’s Committee Chair Sita Lama.

Expressing concern that the Government of Nepal is moving toward restricting trade union activities, IndustriALL Global Union Headquarters in Geneva sent a letter to Prime Minister Sushila Karki on October 14, 2025, urging the government to protect workers’ rights and engage in constructive social dialogue with trade unions.

The letter highlighted that even the government-determined minimum wage has not been properly implemented, while under the banner of the Gen-Z movement, anarchic groups have attacked trade union offices, causing vandalism and looting of important materials.

IndustriALL emphasized that respect for workers’ and trade union rights, social dialogue, and collective bargaining are the foundations of a fair and democratic society. Therefore, it called on the Government of Nepal to:

• Implement the agreed minimum wage without delay,
• Ensure full respect for trade union rights and freedom of association,
• Guarantee the safety of trade union offices and representatives, and
• Work together with all trade unions in good faith to develop inclusive, fair, and sustainable policies for the future of Nepal.

IndustriALL Global Union represents more than 50 million workers in the mining, energy, and manufacturing sectors, through over 550 affiliated organizations across 130 countries, including Nepal.

Happy Dashain, the great festival of Nepalis, to all of you! Please note that the GEFONT office will be closed for Dashain holidays from 29 September to 4 October. In case of emergency, please contact General Secretary Laxman Sharma at +977-98510-80860 and Foreign Secretary Smriti Lama at +977-9851248677. Thanku you

With the aim of building skilled manpower in trade unions to make the labor movement effective and strong, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Asia Pacific organized a Training of Trainers (ToT) on the Power Resource Approach (PRA) for the Future of Work in Mongolia from August 26, 2025.

The training, which will run until August 30, 2025, featured on the first day a session titled “Problems to Goal”. In the session, Smriti Lama, Secretary of the Foreign Department of the General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT), shared her experiences on approaches to working style and strategies, and presented practical knowledge and skills on the use of the Power Resource Approach (PRA).

The training is being facilitated by Dina Feller, author of the Power Resource Approach Toolkit and a trade union trainer, along with Chao Cabatingan, Program Manager of FES Philippines. Trade union leaders from Nepal, India, Pakistan, Thailand, Mongolia, and the Philippines are participating.