May Day and deprived domestic help

Every year we observe the May Day but we do not take any step to improve the condition of domestic aides who work in our homes. Thousands of these workers, especially women and children, have no fixed salary or fixed working hours, let alone a weekly holiday. There is no one to protect their rights and their rights are being violated silently and regularly. We must not forget that those who are working in our house are also human beings and we need to treat them respectfully as they are helping us in our day-to-day life. We only realise their value when they are absent and we have to do their jobs all by ourselves.  The domestic helpers of our country have no union, so they are helpless against any misconduct or injustice. Many city homes have at least one such helping hand without whom they cannot think of completing their day-to-day work. I hope our labour ministry will think over the matter so that these people can lead a life with dignity. I hope the people who work in our houses will get their due rights from which they have been deprived for a long time.

    Roksana Sulatana
    Uttara, Dhaka.