A National Coordination Meeting on the rights of domestic workers in Bangladesh was held today at Hotel Platinum Grand, Banani, Dhaka. The meeting was jointly organized by OXFAM, Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE), and the International Labour Organization (ILO), with support from Global Affairs Canada, the European Union, and the Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE).

The event brought together government officials, civil society representatives, international development partners, labour rights activists, and domestic worker leaders to discuss the current situation of domestic workers in Bangladesh, share experiences, and explore pathways for stronger coordination between government and non-government actors.
The meeting began with welcome remarks from representatives of Oxfam and ILO, followed by a presentation from Mr. Tarek Aziz, Acting Programme Head, Gender Justice and Social Inclusion at Oxfam, who highlighted the latest updates on the situation of domestic workers.

Advocate Salma Ali, Advisor of the Bangladesh National Women Lawyers’ Association (BNWLA), shared case experiences, while the Ministry of Labour and Employment presented their perspective on policies and ongoing initiatives.
A key session featured experience sharing by NGOs, moderated by Ms. Rasheda K. Choudhury, Executive Director of CAMPE, focusing on organizational initiatives, challenges, and ways forward in protecting domestic workers’ rights. She emphasized the importance of implementing the Labour Reform Commission’s recommendations, creating better coordination mechanisms, and ensuring government and development partners’ consideration of meeting recommendations in future planning.

Special guests included: Ms. Stéphanie St-Laurent Brassard, Second Secretary (Development–Gender Equality), High Commission of Canada, Bangladesh, Mr. Shakil Akhter Chowdhury, Member, Labour Reform Commission & General Secretary, Bangladesh Labour Federation (BLF), Mr. Md. Shamsul Islam, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr. Neeran Ramjuthan, Program Manager, Labour Administration & Working Conditions, ILO Bangladesh, Ms. Laila Jasmin Banu, Program Manager, Governance, Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh, Ms. Mahmuda Sultana, Programme Director, Oxfam in Bangladesh.

The meeting concluded with remarks from Mr. A.H.M Shafiquzzaman, Honorable Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, who served as the Chief Guest. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring improved working conditions and safeguarding the rights of domestic workers in Bangladesh. He also expressed optimism that the “Labour Law Ordinance” would be passed by October 2025 and stated that the inclusion of domestic workers in the new legislation was under strong consideration.

During the discussions, participants proposed a number of recommendations, including: forming a dedicated forum for coordination among organizations, including domestic workers in the national census, ensuring maternity leave and childcare facilities, providing skills training to transform domestic workers into a recognized skilled workforce, and conducting a nationwide survey through the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) to generate accurate data for evidence-based policymaking.

In her closing note, Syeda Monira Sultana, Senior Programme Officer, ILO Bangladesh, expressed gratitude on behalf of the organizers to all participants and partners. She highlighted the importance of continued collaboration in ensuring the dignity and rights of domestic workers.