Women agricultural labourers in a meeting have demanded parity in payment of wage with the male workers for improving their living and livelihood.
They viewed that the female agricultural workers are still facing wage disparity in the region despite doing equal work like the male labourers render fields.
In this context, they unequivocally called for enacting agriculture labour law for freeing the women labourers from all sorts of disparity and discrimination. They also demanded equal opportunity in education, training, science and technology related work.
Karmojobi Nari (KN), an initiative for working women, organized the meeting at Metropolitan Press Club in Rajshahi city in association with Manusher Jonno Foundation.
KN Advocacy Officer Rajib Ahmed and local unit Coordinator Fatema Begum addressed the meeting as focal person with Rabiul Hossain, district unit president of Bangladesh Krishak League, in the chair.
Additional Chief Medical Officer of Rajshahi University Dr FMA Zaheed, Ward Councilor of Rajshahi City Corporation Bilkis Banu, Headmaster of Hicare School Shahnaz Begum, Advocate Shamima Begum of BLAST, Freedom Fighter Borjahan Ali and political leader Abdullah Masud Shibli also spoke.
Traditionally, the women work in agricultural works like Transplantation of saplins, weeding and harvesting side by side with the male members. Interestingly, the female workers are most experienced and efficient in works than that of their male counterparts. They also manage their household work and take care of their children.
Taking part in the discussion Afroza Begum, a day-labourer of Haripur, said the employers give us Taka 150 daily while Taka 200 is paid to the male workers. The malpractice is taking place for long.
The female workers are more honest to work than the male workers, but they get less as wage, she added.
She alleged that if the women claim equal wages, the employers become reluctant to engage them in work next time and which is why they are compelled to receive lower wages.
Female worker Rahima Begum said some women day labourers who are victims of discrimination are frequently seen narrating the pathetic stories of their frustration and deprivation at workplaces.
