Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1989, published 76th ILC session (1989)

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - Bangladesh (Ratification: 1972)

In comments made over recent years, the Committee has stressed the positive nature of the measures to be taken under Articles 2 and 3 of the Convention and the need for full and detailed information on various aspects of measures taken or envisaged by the responsible authorities to promote equality of opportunity and treatment in respect of occupation and employment. The Committee again requests the Government to supply full information on action taken in this regard.

1. In its previous direct request, the Committee noted from the Government's report that relevant details on women employed in various trades are not available but that the quota for women in employment had been increased, the age limit of women had been relaxed, and that working women's hostels had been set up. The Committee requested that the Government provide certain details in these areas. The Committee notes the information provided in the Government's report that the quota for women in non-gazetted posts recruited through open competition has been raised to 15 per cent; that 60 per cent of the posts in the field of health and population control are now being filled by women and 50 per cent of posts of teachers in primary schools are reserved for women. The Government indicates that working women's hostels are constructed by the Government in Dhaka, Chittagong, and Rajshahi; that these hostels are managed by the Department of Women's Affairs under the Ministry of Social Services and Women's Affairs.

The Committee asks that the Government provide the following information:

(a) the total number of non-gazetted posts which have been recruited through open competition, including the number of these posts filled by women, and the number of these posts filled by men, each tally for the same recent period of time;

(b) the total number of posts in the field of health and population control, including the number of these posts filled by women, and the total number of these posts filled by men, each tally for the same recent period of time;

(c) the total number of posts of teachers in primary schools, including the total number currently filled by women and the total number currently filled by men;

(d) the total number of posts of teachers in secondary schools, including the total number currently filled by women and the total number currently filled by men;

(e) the total number of primary and secondary schools as well as the numbers of students served by them, including the total number of those schools designated for boys only, and the total number of those schools designated for girls only;

(f) a copy of the most recent available annual report published by the Ministry of Education on the subject of education in Bangladesh.

2. The Committee asks that the Government provide information about the function and purposes of the women's work hostels, particularly as they relate to promotion of the principles embodied in the Convention.

3. In its previous direct request, the Committee noted the Government's indication that the age limit for employment of women has been relaxed from 27 to 30 years. As noted above, the Government in its report indicates that there is no prescribed upper limit for men and women workers in factories or establishments. The Committee asks the Government to supply information on the situations in other sectors of the economy where there is an upper age limit for the employment of women and men, and whether there has been any change in the situation with respect to the upper age limit for the employment of women and/or men since 1985. The Government is asked to include with its next report a copy of any law or regulation which imposes an upper age limit in any sector of the economy.

4. The Committee notes the collective agreement between Bangladeshiyo Cha Sangsad and the Bangladesh Cha Sramik Union sent with the Government's report. The Committee notes from paragraph 3 of the agreement that its terms are recommendatory. The Committee further notes that, for all the various job classifications covered by the agreement, the wage rates for women are set apart from those for men, although the wage levels themselves are, in each case, the same. The Committee asks that the Government provide full information on the level of actual wages paid in practice to women as compared to men in the tea industry. The Committee asks that the Government supply full information on the form this remuneration typically takes, whether in species or in-kind payments, as well as copies of legislation or collective agreements which establish binding minimum wages actually paid.

The Committee asks that the Government provide with its next report copies of legislation or collective agreements which establish binding minimum wages for men and women working in other sectors of the economy, including the public service, agricultural sectors (particularly sugar and rice), the mining industry, and manufacturing sectors (particularly textiles and vehicles). Lastly, the Committee asks that the Government supply full information on the measures taken or envisaged by the responsible authorities to promote equality of opportunity and treatment in respect of employment and occupation particularly in the area of wages and remuneration, with a view to eliminating discrimination on the basis of the factors enumerated in the Convention, particularly sex.

5. The Committee asks that the Government provide full information on statistical information which is gathered in the country concerning employment and occupation particularly with respect to statistics collected pertaining to the employment of men as opposed to those collected pertaining to the employment of women.