September 16, 2007: Form wage board for domestic helps

Speakers at a discussion on 16 September 2007 called for united efforts to establish the rights of the workers of non-institutional sector including domestic helps.
 
They also called for separate law recognising the workers of non-institutional sector as 'labourer' to help increase their productivity.

The discussion titled 'Domestic labour: Modern labour slavery' was organised jointly by Partnership of Women in Action and National Domestic Women Workers Union with the supported of Nagorik Uddyog at the National Press Club in the city, says a press release.

Prof Farzana Islam presided over the discussion where labour leader Abul Hossain presented the keynote paper.

Gonoshasthya Kendra Chairman Zafrullah Chowdhury, Prof Kazi Maruful Islam of Rajshahi University, and Coordinator of Bhashoman Nari Sramik Unnayan Kendra Jahanara Begum spoke on the occasion.

The speakers demanded formulation of national policy and wage board for domestic helps.

They also demanded recognition of the jobs of domestic helps as productive labour and include them in national income.

September 7, 2007: Good results rarely make them happy

Poverty stands in the way of Dalit student's education. Good results in the SSC and HSC examinations seemingly fail to make happy the students from Dalit (lower caste) community, as they fear that severe financial constraint will stand in the way of their education.

At a reception programme arranged dated on 07 September 2007 for the successful Dalit students in this year's SSC and HSC examinations, the guardians and students from the community yesterday sought assistance of the government and non-government bodies for their further education.

Government initiative alongside the NGOs' is essential to help the children from the community to pursue studies for a better future, said speakers at the programme at Women's Volunteer Association auditorium in Dhanmondi in the capital.

Bangladesh Dalits Human Rights, Dalit Youth Forum and Nagorik Udyog jointly arranged the programme to award reception to 38 students for their results in SSC and HSC.

Many of the guardians, mostly unaware of the need for education, have already asked their children to stop studies while the underprivileged children, like others of their age, want to continue education until at least graduation in subjects like business administration or computer engineering.

Kanya Kumari Kona, who passed this year's HSC examinations from Dhaka Commerce College and nourishes a dream to study in business administration, was a participant at the reception programme. She broke down in tears, expressing fear that she would not be able to go for higher education.

"My parents did not even imagine that I would pass the HSC examinations. Now I am receiving an award for my results. I wish I could study business administration at a public university. This is my dream but I fear I would not be able to do it," said Kona.

"My father who is a guard in a city hospital fears that he would not be able to bear my academic expenses, be it at a public or private university," said the girl who had to borrow money to enrol in the college.

"Only God knows how I have come to this stage. My friends did not help me with notes, suggestions or even textbooks and I could not afford private tutor or coaching," she said.

Similarly, Raju, Jyoti and Emon Chandra Das, who passed the SSC examinations with GPA A-, GPA A- and GPA B, said financial problem may force them to discontinue education.

"Only guardians of our community know how they managed educational expenses for their children, after meeting everyday expenses of their family. Most of them even do not know why education is important," said Mony Rani, a guardian.

"The universities could introduce quota system offering an opportunity to the Dalit community students for higher education," said Dr Farzana Islam, professor of the Department of Anthropology at Jahangirnagar University.

"From their own position, any individual or organisation can contribute to the struggle the children from the Dalit community are waging to change their social position and stop social and state exploitation of them," she added.

Zakir Hossain, chief executive director of Nagorik Udyog, and Prohlad Sarker, general secretary of Bangladesh Dalits Human Rights, were present among others at the meeting.

The word 'Dalit' means poor and oppressed people in society.

June 30, 2007: Govt urged to allocate khas lands for Dalit community

Members of Dalit (lower caste) community dated on 30 June 2007 urged the caretaker government to allocate khas lands for them to permanently solve their housing problem in the city.

They also called upon all to change attitude towards them and treat them as human beings.

Dalits are mostly the sweepers living in different colonies designated for them in the city in an inhuman condition as the space allocated for each family is too inadequate and there is a lack of sanitation and other facilities.

They placed their demands and aired their grievances at a seminar titled 'Housing problem of Dalit in Dhaka and its solution' organised by Bangladesh Dalits' Human Rights (BDHR) and Dalit Women Forum (DWF) in the city.

Around 50,000 or 60,000 members of Dalit community live in some 27 colonies in unhygienic condition. Each family live in a 9-foot by 11-foot room and they have to pay rents and utility bills, said BDHR President B Solomon.

Some 750 families live in Gonoktuli colony, but there are only 16 latrines for women and girls and 16 more for men and boys and there is no bathroom, he said.

He also said that many Dalits used to live in slums, but successive governments have evicted them but did not take steps for their rehabilitation.

Speaking at the programme, Dr Hamida Hossain of Ain O Salish Kendra said the government makes arrangements for the accommodation of lawmakers and government officials; it should also take special measures for the Dalit community as their service to society is no less important than others.

She also stressed the need to develop social conscience in order to put an end to discriminatory attitude towards the Dalit community.

Khushi Kabir of Nijera Kori, Abul Hossain of Bangladesh Grameen O Nagar Daridra Federation, Mahiuddin Ahmed of Bangladesh Bastibashi Union and Meherunnesa, a woman ward commissioner, also spoke.