Female farm labourers seek wage parity

Despite of identical work to male in farming fields, the female agricultural workers especially coming from the ethnic groups are still facing wage disparity in the region particularly in the vast Barind tract for long. Traditionally, most of the ethnic female members work in agricultural works like sapling transplantation, weeding and harvesting side by side with their male members. “Interestingly, the female workers are most experienced and efficient in works than that of their male counterparts. They also manage their households and nurse their offspring,” said Nirabul Islam, Training Coordinator of Food Security Project of Centre for Capacity Building of Voluntary Organization (CCBVO).

He says large number of women in the region work in crop fields as day labourers. But all of them are given low wages than their male labourers.

Around three lakh ethnic people live in the Barind area comprising 25 Upazilas of Rajshahi, Naogaon and Chapainawabganj districts. More than 95 percent of them irrespective of male and female are involved in agricultural works.

Around 40,000 of them sell their labours to other fields almost round the year. Mahfuzur Rahman Bhuiyan, Deputy Inspector General of Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, says a coordinated effort of all the government entities concerned including the local administration and local government institutions is needed to remove the existing wage disparity.

He, however, said the present government has been working relentlessly for improving living and livelihood condition of the working-class womenfolk through ensuring basic rights of food, water and sanitation in the region including its vast Barind tract. Fulbanu Hasda, 38, a farm labourer of Gordaying village under Godagari Upazila, here today says the employers force the women labourers to receive low wage. “When we refuse to take the less-payment they threaten us to discard us from work,” she added.

Jahangir Alam Khan, Assistant Project Coordinator of Integrated Water Resource Management Project of DASCOH Foundation, said the female workers are more efficient in seedling transplantation and its nursing.

Besides, they show equal competence in weeding and paddy harvesting, threshing and cleaning. Many of the land owners choose the female workers in farming activities as their wage is less to some extent than the male ones.

Nita Hasda, 35, another farm labourer of Shahanapara village under the same upazila, alleged that many NGOs are working here in the name of ensuring legitimate rights to the ethnic women but none of them has initiative to remove the wage disparity.

The women labourers work almost throughout the day without having any urinary and toilet facilities, she added. Arpona Mormu, a day-laborer of the same village, said the employers give us Tk 250 as daily wage while her male co-villagers get Taka 350 for the similar works.

She mentioned that the malpractice is taking place for long and none has headache in this regard. Normally, the female workers don’t protest against the wage disparity due to various reasons.

“Though the female workers are more honest to work than the male workers, they get less wage as they are most vulnerable in the present social context”, she added.

Raj Kumar Shaw, Executive Director of Anagrasar Samaj Unnayan Sangstha, alleged that if they claim equal wages to their male counterparts they get, the employers become reluctant to engage them in work for next time.

For this reason they are compelled to receive much lower wages. He said some female day labourers who are victim of discrimination are frequently seen narrating the pathetic stories of their frustration and deprivation at workplaces.

As a result, ethnic households particularly those that are headed by women are vulnerable to the effects of fluctuations in labour demand and health shocks. This desperate situation forces many ethnic women to sell their labour in advance for an even lower rate during the lean seasons, and they work for longer hours just to feed their families.

Female farm labourers seek wage parity

Despite of identical work to male in farming fields, the female agricultural workers especially coming from the ethnic groups are still facing wage disparity in the region particularly in the vast Barind tract for long. Traditionally, most of the ethnic female members work in agricultural works like sapling transplantation, weeding and harvesting side by side with their male members. Interestingly, the female workers are most experienced and efficient in works than that of their male counterparts. They also manage their households and nurse their offspring, said Nirabul Islam, Training Coordinator of Food Security Project of Centre for Capacity Building of Voluntary Organization (CCBVO). He says large number of women in the region work in crop fields as day labourers. But all of them are given low wages than their male labourers. Around three lakh ethnic people live in the Barind area comprising 25 Upazilas of Rajshahi, Naogaon and Chapainawabganj districts. More than 95 percent of them irrespective of male and female are involved in agricultural works. Around 40,000 of them sell their labours to other fields almost round the year. Mahfuzur Rahman Bhuiyan, Deputy Inspector General of Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, says a coordinated effort of all the government entities concerned including the local administration and local government institutions is needed to remove the existing wage disparity. He, however, said the present government has been working relentlessly for improving living and livelihood condition of the working-class womenfolk through ensuring basic rights of food, water and sanitation in the region including its vast Barind tract. Fulbanu Hasda, 38, a farm labourer of Gordaying village under Godagari Upazila, here today says the employers force the women labourers to receive low wage. When we refuse to take the less-payment they threaten us to discard us from work, she added. Jahangir Alam Khan, Assistant Project Coordinator of Integrated Water Resource Management Project of DASCOH Foundation, said the female workers are more efficient in seedling transplantation and its nursing. Besides, they show equal competence in weeding and paddy harvesting, threshing and cleaning. Many of the land owners choose the female workers in farming activities as their wage is less to some extent than the male ones. Nita Hasda, 35, another farm labourer of Shahanapara village under the same upazila, alleged that many NGOs are working here in the name of ensuring legitimate rights to the ethnic women but none of them has initiative to remove the wage disparity. The women labourers work almost throughout the day without having any urinary and toilet facilities, she added. Arpona Mormu, a day-laborer of the same village, said the employers give us Tk 250 as daily wage while her male co-villagers get Taka 350 for the similar works. She mentioned that the malpractice is taking place for long and none has headache in this regard. Normally, the female workers dont protest against the wage disparity due to various reasons. Though the female workers are more honest to work than the male workers, they get less wage as they are most vulnerable in the present social context, she added. Raj Kumar Shaw, Executive Director of Anagrasar Samaj Unnayan Sangstha, alleged that if they claim equal wages to their male counterparts they get, the employers become reluctant to engage them in work for next time. For this reason they are compelled to receive much lower wages. He said some female day labourers who are victim of discrimination are frequently seen narrating the pathetic stories of their frustration and deprivation at workplaces. As a result, ethnic households particularly those that are headed by women are vulnerable to the effects of fluctuations in labour demand and health shocks. This desperate situation forces many ethnic women to sell their labour in advance for an even lower rate during the lean seasons, and they work for longer hours just to feed their families.