Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter yesterday called for a respectful definition of “domestic worker” based on workers’ preferences and urged their inclusion under labour laws.
She stressed the need for legal protection, health security, safe working environments, proper training, fair wages, and labour-saving technologies to ease domestic workers’ burdens.
She made the remarks while speaking as chief guest at a roundtable titled “Transforming Policy into Law: Dialogue on Domestic Workers’ Rights and Barriers to Implementation”, jointly organised by The Daily Star, ECHO, Shobujer Ovijan Foundation, and Oxfam at The Daily Star Centre in the capital.
Addressing the use of commonly used terms for househelps, the adviser said words like “bua” and “chhuta bua” should be avoided. The term “bandha bua” for full-time help, which implies servitude, must also be discarded.
“Many domestic workers feel uncomfortable being called ‘domestic workers’,” she said. “It’s important to consult them and choose a respectful title they can proudly identify with.”
She said the domestic workers’ movement is part of the broader women’s movement and that mutual respect between employers and workers — often both women — is essential.
She also advocated for the use of technology, such as ready-to-cook food and labour-saving tools, to reduce the burden of domestic work.
Highlighting health concerns, Farida said domestic workers are citizens with the right to health protection. Many consume “jorda/gul” to suppress hunger due to a lack of timely meals, which causes serious health risks.
Providing nutritious food and proper rest is crucial, she added, stressing the need to design homes with rest facilities for domestic workers.
Abul Hossain, acting coordinator of the Domestic Workers’ Rights Network, said although the Domestic Workers Protection and Welfare Policy, which aims to safeguard their rights and well-being based on ILO Convention 189, was approved in 2015, it has yet to become law a decade later.
He expressed hope that the current interim government, free from political influence, would finalise the legal inclusion of domestic workers under labour law before the next elections.
Razequzzaman Ratan, member of Labour Reform Commission, said recognition, registration, and fair remuneration are key to valuing domestic workers’ labour. He urged the immediate inclusion of domestic workers under labour law, as proposed in the commission’s recommendations.
Until a law is passed, Ratan said the 2015 policy must be fully implemented. This includes replacing verbal agreements with written contracts and resolving complaints through apartment management or ward committees.
He also stressed the need for skill training, employment opportunities at home and abroad, an end to hiring children under 14, and the right to unionise for domestic workers. Ensuring their health, education, nutrition, and rest is essential for family safety and the well-being of future generations.
Rowshan Ara Baby, member of Naripokkho, said, “ILO Convention 189 and CEDAW both mandate protection for domestic workers. But guidelines on leave, maternity benefits, healthcare, and workplace safety are not being enforced. Without legal inclusion, these protections are difficult to implement.”
She highlighted the need for written contracts detailing working hours, leave, healthcare, and other benefits. Domestic workers are often abused, she added, stressing the need for a monitoring system and complaint mechanism.
Sumaiya Islam, member of the Women’s Affairs Reform Commission and executive director of Bangladesh Nari Sramik Kendra, said all stakeholders — workers, organisations, and commissions — are united in demanding legal inclusion.
She said both the Labour and Women’s Affairs Reform Commissions have recommended including domestic workers under labour law, which is essential for the state, society, welfare, and the economy.
Highlighting the contribution of domestic workers abroad, whose remittances help boost the national economy, she said, “The time to act is now.”
Tapon Kumar Das, deputy director of CAMPE, recommended creating a database of domestic workers, with data collected at police stations or ward levels, to ensure their safety and identification.
He also called for hostels and daycare centres in high-rise residential areas, noting that many domestic workers lose their jobs due to a lack of childcare, leaving them vulnerable to homelessness and crime.
He further urged targeted research on the occupational health risks of domestic workers and the need for fair wages, bonuses, maternity leave, and other benefits.
Maheen Sultan, another member of Women’s Affairs Reform Commission, said the commission has long stressed the importance of valuing all forms of women’s work, whether paid or unpaid, inside or outside the home.
“Domestic work is often trivialised as women’s work, leading to its devaluation. Legal recognition is essential, but it must also be reflected in our social norms. We can’t just wait for a law — we must start the change from our positions,” she said.
AHM Shafiquzzaman, secretary at the Ministry of Labour and Employment, said, “Protecting the rights of domestic workers is everyone’s responsibility, not just the state. Let’s start with our own homes — issue appointment letters. Let’s motivate our buildings and neighbourhoods. Gradually, the safety measures discussed in 2015 will begin to spread.”
Khadeja Akter Antora, programme officer at Oxfam’s Gender Justice and Social Inclusion programme, said domestic workers’ rights are tied to the safety of employers’ families and the national economy.
She called for their inclusion under labour law, proper policy implementation, and ratification of ILO Convention 189.
Mahmuda Begum, founder and executive director of Shobujer Ovijan Foundation; Roksana Sultana, executive director of Breaking the Silence; Murshida Akter, general secretary of Domestic Workers’ Rights Network; and Parveen, a domestic worker from Mirpur, also spoke at the event.
The roundtable was moderated by Tanjim Ferdous, in-charge of NGOs and Foreign Missions at The Daily Star.
Source: Domestic workers deserve dignity, legal protection | The Daily Star
