Social Welfare Adviser Sharmeen S Murshid joined a seminar at CIRDAP auditorium on Sunday. Photo: PID

DHAKA, April 27, 2025 (BSS) - Women and Children Affairs and Social Welfare Adviser Sharmeen S Murshid today said domestic workers' rights are remained unprotected within the country's socio-economic framework due to their lack of educational opportunities.

"Domestic workers face workplace harassment and abuse, and their rights are not safeguarded because of their educational disadvantages," she said.

The adviser made this remark while addressing “Policy Dialogue for the Protection of Domestic Workers and Improvement of Living Standards” as the chief guest, organized by Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE) at CIRDAP auditorium, said a PID handout. 

She observed domestic workers are deprived of fair opportunities and facilities due to the non-implementation of the Domestic Workers Welfare Policy 2015. 

Sharmeen said that civil society organizations along with the concerned ministries should work to accelerate the welfare activities of the domestic workers from the marginal stage.  

She praised Oxfam in Bangladesh's initiative to organize a policy dialogue to protect domestic workers and improve their living standards, and welcomed this great initiative, expressing solidarity with the advisory dialogue.

Sharmeen S Murshid also said that according to the BBS survey 2022, the number of domestic workers in Bangladesh is about 2.5 million. Of these, 90 percent are women and 80 percent are children who have no formal education. 

Therefore, every child should be sent to school compulsorily, and religious education should be provided along with formal education, she said, adding that domestic workers will be able to get high-paying jobs in the country and abroad by becoming skilled through technical education.

With Executive Director of the CAMPE Rasheda K Chowdhury in the chair, Labour and Employment Secretary AHM Shafiquzzaman, Head of the Women's Affairs Reform Commission and Founding Member of the Naripakhya Shirin Parvin Haque, World Bank Consultant ABM Khorshed Alam, Program Director of Oxfam in Bangladesh Mahmuda Sultana, President of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad Dr Fawzia Moslem, Acting Coordinator of the Network for the Establishment of Domestic Workers' Rights Abul Hossain and Deputy Director of CAMPE Tapan Kumar Das were present.