The National Forum of Domestic Workers was launched at an event at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh in Dhaka on Monday, calling for their inclusion in labour laws and official recognition as labours.
Aimed at advocating for the recognition of domestic workers as ‘labour’ within labour law, around 200 domestic workers participated at the inaugural event of the forum, organised by the Dushtha Swasthya Kendra, with the support of Oxfam in Bangladesh.
The forum also aims to ensure the rights of domestic workers at local and national levels, implement the Protection and Welfare Policy for Domestic Workers 2015.
Under the ‘Suniti’ project, the non-political forum, comprising 200 members and a 21-member committee, will be independently run by domestic workers, and will work with 16,000 domestic workers in Dhaka.
Jakia Sultana, president of the forum and a domestic worker, said, ‘Our main demand is to include all domestic workers in the labour law and recognise us as labour. ‘
Without this recognition, we are deprived of opportunities, including the ability to form trade unions, she mentioned.
Mahmud Sultana, programme director of the Oxfam in Bangladesh, said ‘Through this forum, we believe this success will inspire other informal sector workers, including deprived tea garden workers and women fishermen.’
The event highlighted various issues faced by domestic workers in Bangladesh.
Despite their significant contribution to the national economy, they are not recognised as ‘workers’ under the Bangladesh Labour Act, resulting in a lack of fixed working hours, holidays, and fair wages, the speakers said. Â
According to an Oxfam study in 2022, about 93 per cent of women domestic workers reported experiencing harassment at their workplaces, with 67 per cent suffering emotional abuse, 61 per cent verbal abuse, and 21 per cent physical abuse.