Staff Reporter :
Female workers are sexually harassed by trade union leaders, as well as by their senior officials at workplaces, a recent study revealed on Sunday.
“Though the responsibility of trade unions is to protect workers from any kind of harassments and abuses, but often union leaders themselves harass female workers sexually,” said Farhana Afrin Tithi, Executive Member of Bangladesh Srama Institute, which conducted the research. BASI released the study report at a discussion at the National Press Club.
Farhana Afrin said, respondent female workers have given such statements to the researchers, exposing their vulnerability to male counterparts at workplace.
Reading out the study report, Tithi said that they had talked to the workers linked to 17 trade unions and found that many female workers had been sexually harassed by the union leaders.
She said, among the 17 unions, 16 were male dominant while only one union is dominated by female leaders.
The study also found that besides sexual harassment, female workers take double work pressure than their male counterparts, but their contribution does not get proper recognition.
BASI Trustee Board President Shah Atiul Islam stressed the need for ensuring female workers’ rights at workplaces and at different level of trade unions by increasing women leadership.
Labour leader Joly Talukder said, “Such injustice is going on without obstruction even though a female Prime Minister is running the country for long.”
