Policy to protect domestic helps' rights soon

Participants at a roundtable on “Elimination of Hazardous Child Labour: Problem Analysis and Our Role” organised by Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum at The daily Star Centre in the capital yesterday. Photo: Star

The government will enact a policy on domestic helps to protect their rights as employees, said State Minister for Labour and Employment Mujibul Haque Chunnu yesterday.
 “It (the proposal) will be placed before the cabinet within one month,” he said.
If the bill gets the cabinet nod, it will be placed in the parliament, he hoped.
The state minister was addressing a roundtable on “Elimination of Hazardous Child Labour: Problem Analysis and Our Role” organised by Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum at The daily Star Centre in the capital.
The policy would provide the domestic helps with some basic facilities like fixed working hours, accommodation, minimum wage, weekly holidays and primary healthcare, he informed.
Although child domestic workers are a common sight in the country and they often face serious physical and mental health risks, the government has not included domestic labour in its list of 38 hazardous jobs published last year.
Speakers at the discussion urged the government to include domestic labour in the list of hazardous jobs for children.
In his keynote presentation, Abdullah Al Mamun, programme coordinator of Manusher Jonno Foundation, said domestic labour for children is risky in every sense.
The government as well as the private sector should work together to prevent more children from becoming child labour.
Ashrafunnessa, joint secretary of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, said child labour could be prevented substantially if every parent registered the birth of their children within 45 days of birth.