83pc female workers don’t report abuse
Eighty-three percent of women workers in Dhaka Export Processing Zone are reluctant to file any complaint on sexual harassments they face at workplaces and payment issues, fearing it would cost their jobs.
A study done by Karmajibi Nari revealed the data in a seminar held at The Daily Star Centre in the capital yesterday.
The study titled "Women Workers and Labour Standard of Dhaka Export Processing Zone: Creating Space for Women Workers of DEPZ to Share Their Struggle" was conducted from 2021 to June 2022.
"As many as 83.4 percent of women, who at any stage of their service life experienced either sexual harassment, payment delay or maternal leave issues, did not lodge any complaint apprehending they would lose their job once they seek any remedy," said Farhana Afrin Tithi, one of the researchers who took part in the study.
Around 90 percent of the women workers don't have any idea about the safety committee, anti-harassment committee or workers welfare association in DEPZ, the study reads, while others believe such bodies mostly work on behalf of the factory owners.
Taking part in the seminar, Shirin Akther, member of Parliamentary Standing Committee, Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, said there are two laws in the country- one for EPZ and the other applies beyond EPZ, which contradicts the country's constitution.
Around 90 percent of the women workers don't have any idea about the safety committee, anti-harassment committee or workers welfare association in DEPZ, the study reads, while others believe such bodies mostly work on behalf of the factory owners.
She said EPZs were built advertising the cheap labour of Bangladesh.
"We have to be united based on issues regarding labour rights. The main obstacle is that workers are divided into many organisations," she said.
Alpona Sarkar from the Department of Labour, AKM Nasim, country director of Solidarity Centre, Selim Ahsan Khan, legal counsellor at Solidarity Centre, Shah Mohammad Abu Jafor, president of Bangladesh Labour Foundation, Saifuzzaman Badsha, president of Jatiyo Sramik Jote, and Naimul Ahsan Jewel, general secretary of Jitiyo Sramik Jote, spoke at the seminar, among others.
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