‘Building awareness a must for domestic workers’ rights’

Trade union leaders and labour rights activists at a discussion on Sunday said an area-based campaign for raising awareness among domestic workers is needed to establish their rights and dignity.

They also asked the authorities concerned to bring the domestic servants under the country’s labour law too.

The suggestions of the leaders and the rights activists came at a national dialogue hosted by the Bangladesh Institute of Labor Studies (BILS) in the capital under its Ethics Project to promote people’s rights, said a press release.

National Human Rights Commission member Jasmine Ara Begum was present at the programme as the chief guest.

She said the labour law should be amended to bring domestic workers under the law and ensure their rights.

“The domestic helps are not getting justice for the lack of witnesses and sometimes they come into a compromise with the accused in the cases of domestic violence,” observed Jasmine.

Jasmine Ara called for steps to raise awareness not only among the domestic helpers but also among their employers to change their mentality.

BILS Chairman Md Habibur Rahman Siraj presided over the event which was, among others, addressed by NGO Bureau Director Jinat Ara and Deputy Secretary of labour ministry Mahbuba Bilkis.