Trade unions and civil society representatives demanded the ratification of ILO Conventions 189 and 190 and the inclusion of domestic workers in labour laws, ensuring decent work. On the occasion of 16 days activism a domestic workers rally and human chai was organised by Bangladesh Institute of Labor Studies-BILS Suniti project on December 2, 2022 in Bhashantech rehabilitation area of the capital.

Speakers in the human chain demanded the government to ensure social security for domestic workers and arrange low-cost housing schemes for them. They said that in recent times, incidents such as torture, murder, and human rights violations against domestic workers have increased alarmingly. Due to the non-implementation of the ‘Domestic Workers Protection and Welfare Policy 2015’ made for the protection of domestic workers across the country, the death and torture of domestic workers are happening one after the other in the country. They said that if the domestic workers can be trained and organized, exploitation and torture on them will be reduced. They urged the domestic workers to participate in the training program organized by Suniti Project.

During this time, the speakers urged to ratify the ILO Convention-189 and 190, implemented the ‘Domestic Workers Protection and Welfare Policy-2015′ to protect the safety of domestic workers across the country, included domestic workers in the labor law, provided official legal assistance in cases of domestic workers, ensured safety and safe immigration to the workplace of all domestic workers, victims of torture. They demanded to provide fair compensation to workers’ families and injured workers, medical expenses of injured workers to be borne by the employer, permanent rehabilitation of workers’ families and injured workers and registration and inspection program to protect domestic workers from torture and to verify their true status.

Domestic Workersr Rights Network Acting Coordinator Abul Hossain, National Domestic Women Workers Union General Secretary Murshida Akhtar Nahar, BILS Deputy Director and Project Coordinator Md Yusuf Al-Mamun along with local leaders, local employers, BILS and Domestic Workers Rights Network Affiliated Human Rights organisations were also present in the event.