Staff Correspondent:The High Court on Thursday asked the government to form a monitoring cell within six months for monitoring the allegations of household workers.
The HC bench of Justice Salma Masud Chowdhury and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo passed the order following a petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh.
The HC asked the Ministry of Labour and Employment, city corporations, deputy commissioners and UNOs of the country to take steps in this regard.
The HC also asked the authorities concerned to implement the Domestic Workers Protection and Welfare Policy-2015.
Advocate Manzill Murshid stood for the petitioner while deputy attorney general Arabinda Kumar Roy represented the state.
On July 1, 2014, the HC issued a rule asking the government to explain why the authorities concerned should not be directed to formulate an act for the establishment of the rights of domestic helps.
Manzill Murshid said the government formed a policy in 2015 where the city corporations were asked to ensure the welfare of household workers.
Besides, it asked to submit a list of domestic helps, take permission from guardians for appointing domestic helps less than 12 years of age, ensure leave for them when needed, ensure medical treatment of the household workers by their employers, pay compensation in case of accidents or take legal steps when tortured, he said.
The High Court asked to implement the policy, he added.