Including domestic helps in labour law

Violence on domestic workers is rampant in Bangladesh. In 2021, a total of 38 domestic workers were subjected to various forms of torture, according to the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies. Of them, 12 people were reportedly killed, two committed suicide, and others underwent several forms of torture including rape. However, it is not the complete picture of the ordeals our domestic helps face in their workplaces since most of them suffer in silence. Against this backdrop, Bangladesh has recently observed International Domestic Workers' Day.
The sad reality in our society is that poor parents often send their children to work in urban households with the hope that their children will at least get three square meals a day. However, in many cases their hopes get shattered as their children end up being abused and tortured by the household members while others are even killed.
Domestic workers do not have specific working hours, proper accommodation, weekly or maternity leave, or a fixed salary. Therefore, besides recognising domestic labour as a profession, it is necessary to include them in the labour law. They should be recognised as workers and organised as skilled manpower. It is time the government took steps regarding this issue.

Badsha Faysal,
Jurain, Dhaka,
badshafaysal1998@gmail.com