Six-month maternity leave for working women stressed

Speakers at a rally today (7 March) called for ensuring six months of maternity leave for all women, removing disparities among the government, private, and labour sectors in Bangladesh without discrimination.

National Workers Unity Centre and Green Bangla Garments Workers Federation jointly organised the rally with the slogan - "Rights, Equality, Empowerment; Development of Women and Girls" - in front of the National Press Club in the capital on the eve of International Women's Day.

"We have to ensure maternity leave for all the women. While amending the concerned law, the definition of a worker should be properly considered. In our country, maternity leave is six months for government employees, but four months for the garment sector. Again, nothing is said about leave in the informal sector. This discrimination is unacceptable when it comes to women's rights," the speakers said.

They further said the factory authorities are not taking responsibility for the accidents of the workers that occur during commuting to and from work, provident fund, gratuity, the right to form trade unions, maternity leave for female workers, job security and safe workplace. The opinions and written proposals of the workers have not been taken into account in amending the labor law. Gender equality must be accelerated by respecting social, political, cultural and economic achievements, the speakers added.

Presided over by Garments Workers Federation president Sultana Begum, the rally was addressed by its general secretary Md Ilias, Rojina Akter Sumi, Md Farid Uddin, Qazi Ruhul Amin, Khairul Alam Mintu, Amrin Hossain Anney, Eusuf Sheikh and Md Teherul Islam, among others.

A procession was brought out after the rally, which went around the National Press Club, High Court intersection, Topkhana Road, and Paltan intersection and ended coming in front of the National Press Club.