Kolpona, the domestic worker whose tragic story captured national attention last month, is far from an isolated case.
While incidents like hers occasionally spark public outrage, the outcomes of these cases often fade into obscurity.
In an interview with Dhaka Tribune, Kolpona said: “I am not the only one. There must be others who are suffering.”
Her words echo the grim reality of domestic workers across Bangladesh.
Earlier this year, on February 6, 13-year-old Preeti Urang jumped from a flat to escape torture while working for the then-executive editor of The Daily Star, Ashfaqul Haque, and his wife.
Preeti tragically lost her life. In August 2023, another domestic worker, Ferdousi, survived a similar jump while employed by the same household.
These incidents are not new.
In 2018, Maria Sultana of Gandaria was arrested for torturing her teenage house help, Laboni.
In 2017, a couple was detained at Dhaka's Shah Ali police station for abusing their domestic worker, Buli.
A particularly high-profile case occurred in 2015 when former national cricketer Shahadat Hossain Razib and his wife, Jasmine Jahan, were arrested for torturing their minor house help, Happy.
Pattern of impunity
The lack of accountability is a recurring theme for the fates of domestic workers.
Experts warn that cases like Kolpona's or Preeti's are just the tip of the iceberg.
The impunity granted to perpetrators, such as Ashfaqul Haque and his wife, not only denies justice to victims but may embolden similar acts of abuse.
According to the National Child Labour Survey 2022 by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), approximately 76,000 children work in households, with 55.3% being female.
However, 99% of these children lack any formal employment status, leaving them highly vulnerable.
The study does not provide data on wages, location, or incidents of abuse, and there are no comprehensive statistics on violence against domestic workers beyond media reports.
Legal gaps
Bangladesh currently lacks a specific law to protect domestic workers.
Kolpona’s family had to file their case under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act due to the absence of dedicated legislation.
The National Human Rights Commission had previously drafted a Domestic Workers’ Safety Act, but it has not yet been enacted.
In 2015, the Ministry of Labour and Employment issued the Domestic Workers Protection and Welfare Policy, which outlines work hours, holidays, and rest periods.
However, it falls short on crucial points like minimum wages and enforcement mechanisms.
The policy refers to conventional laws for addressing issues like unpaid wages, workplace accidents, and abuse, but offers no independent monitoring framework.
A 2021 study by Oxfam revealed that the policy’s implementation is almost non-existent.
The study found that 33% of domestic workers endure significant mental or physical pressure.
It also said that over 50% of live-in workers face regular physical punishment.
Victims of sexual harassment rarely report their experiences, with only 6.14% of live-in and 0.58% of live-out domestic workers disclosing such incidents, the Oxfam study revealed.
Calls for reform
Md Omar Faruq (Faruqi), a public prosecutor in Dhaka, told Dhaka Tribune: “Cases of assaulting domestic workers are happening over and over. We need to know why these things are repeating.”
Faruqi emphasized that the state should act as the plaintiff in such cases to ensure exemplary punishment, as most incidents are resolved outside the courts.
He believes that exemplary punishment will be able to reduce the abuse.
Oxfam started a project in partnership with other NGOscalled Suniti to ensure domestic workers’ rights. The project is aimed to train 16,000 domestic workers in Dhaka.
The project aims to organize domestic workers to make themselves aware of their rights, make the profession recognized by the state, and establish their social standing.
Tarek Aziz, the project's program coordinator, told Dhaka Tribune, “The domestic worker profession is not a recognized profession.”
As the profession is not recognized, the recruitment process is often verbal and through unofficial channels.
“Thus, when it comes to an uncertain event, the household owner can deny the worker’s employment status in his household,” said Tarek.
Afrin Aktar, project manager of Suniti Project at Dushtha Shasthya Kendra, believes that recognition of the profession and inclusion of domestic workers in the labour law can prevent these assault cases from happening.
