"Female garment workers demand an end to violence against women", 7 March 2025

A group of women, including garment workers, have taken to the streets demanding an end to violence and sexual abuse against women, as well as the ensuring of six months of maternity leave for female workers.

On Friday morning, International Women's Day, the Sommilito Sramik Federation, or SSF, and the Awaj Foundation presented their demands in front of the National Press Club...

SSF leader Parveen Akhtar stated, "Women's rights have yet to be enforced, which is unfortunate and painful for us. Women's rights are merely spoken of, but no action is taken."...

Parveen stated, "Women working within the garment industry do not receive maternity leave. Why haven't domestic workers been incorporated into the legislation even today?"

Parveen urged the government to change the rules so that garment workers would have six months of paid maternity leave. She also called for a similar law to be enacted for domestic workers...

Dilruba Khatun stated, "We keep saying and shouting that without EPZ, there are no women's rights in the garment industry — you must grant us our rights. But in practice, it's just words, I'm not sure if anything is actually being done or not."...

The SSF presented a 26-point list of demands in the programme. These demands include six months of maternity leave, the cessation of sexual harassment and all forms of abuse in the workplace, the enactment of laws against physical, mental, verbal, and sexual harassment at work, and the establishment of a speedy trial system for cases of sexual harassment.

The list also called for ensuring protection for female domestic workers from abuse and harassment in their workplaces, mandatory equal representation of women in trade union leadership, prioritising female workers in the creation of new job opportunities, and provisions for the rehabilitation of unemployed female workers, among others...