Status of maternity leave
The government
has ensured maternity leave of six month for the working mothers in the public
sector by issuing a notification. As
a result, the
working mothers in the public
sector are
getting 6 months of maternity leave
Humayun Kabir
As per the labour law in Bangladesh, the working mothers in public and private sector are supposed to get maternity leave for 6 months and 4 months respectively.
The government has ensured maternity leave of six month for the working mothers in the public sector by issuing a notification. As a result, the working mothers in the public sector are getting 6 months of maternity leave.
On the other hand, according to the labour law, the working mothers in the private sector are getting four months maternity leave, which is two months less than that of public sectors resulting in a discrimination.
According to the Index of Womans Advancement (IWA) report during the second half of 2014, Bangladesh is ranked number 2 among the 16 countries of the Asia and Pacific region from the point of view of women employment.
The RMG owners association Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) said that almost 44 lakh workers are working in the 8200 garment factories in the country, of which 80 percent are female workers. A total of 3,255 garment factories have been inspected from January till August this year. According to the inspection report, 82.70 per cent of the factories provide maternity leave with benefits and allowances.
In this context, BGMEA President Siddiqur Rahman said the working mothers in the private sector, especially in the RMG sector, are being provided the maternity leave including other facilities by following the labour laws of Bangladesh. According to the law, the working mothers in the RMG sector are getting four months maternity leave. Therefore, no working mother in the RMG sector is being deprived of maternity leave. Rather than, according to its rules, all working mothers in the public and private sectors are getting 6 months and 4 months maternity leave including other benefits respectively.
Arzoo Begum, working in a garment factory at Mirpur of Dhaka said, Sapna Akhtar, my first child, was born three months ago. As a working mother, I have received maternity leave with pay for 4 months. But within a few days my leave will end. I am thinking that, whether I will be able to join my job within the stipulated time leaving this small baby. But if I had got more two months time it would have been better for me.
Dr. Nur Kawser Binte, a gynae and obs specialist, stated that really four months is not enough time for a mother and her new born baby after birth. Particularly, maternity leave is an emergency for the mother and childs physical and mental health. Taking this important matter into consideration, not only for the official working mothers, the government should approve six months maternity leave for all working mothers in all institutions.
Meanwhile, the cornerstone of that structure is the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1979. According to the UN convention, the maternity leave has been described as a right of women. In the UN charter, the
maternity, child rearing and family have been included into the states responsibilities.
It is learnt that, the maternity leave for six months has been approved by issuing the notification in the non-government educational institutions, private banks and other financial institutions. In addition to this, following this official rules, many private organizations are providing maternity leave for six months to the working mothers.
Sumaya Mahjabin, working in the private channel Gaan Bangla Television, said that she was going to be a mother within a couple of months. At present she is on leave.
In this regard, Director Advocacy of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad (Bangladesh Womens Council) Jana Goswami said that following the official rules, we are also providing maternity leave for six months to working mothers in our organization (NGO). The same rules should be implemented in all private organizations like the public sector. Otherwise, the working mothers in private sector and their new born children will be deprived of their basic right, which is not desirable for us.
She further said that if any working mother in the private sector is deprived of maternity leave and informed us, we must give them all out legal assistance in getting their maternity leave.
In this context, labour and employment affairs state minister, Mujibul Haque said that the maternity leave for working mothers in the private sectors had been fixed 4 months from 3 months through a tripartite discussion participated by workers, owners of the private organisations and governments representatives during the amendment of labour law in 2013. Since then, according to the labour law, the working mothers in the private sectors are getting four months maternity leave.
He said that if any private organization does not provide the maternity leave according to the labour law, the government would take legal action against those organizations, because the government is very conscious about labour rights.
The writer is a senior television journalist
