DHAKA: The government is considering the enactment of a law to prevent sexual harassment at workplaces.
This issue was discussed during the session related to the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs on the fourth day of the Deputy Commissioners' (DC) Conference, according to Cabinet Division sources.
The four-day conference began on Sunday (May 3) at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka. Today, discussions are being held across eight sessions covering 12 ministries and divisions, including the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, the Ministry of Social Welfare, and the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
An official who attended the meeting noted that although the issue of workplace sexual harassment has been highlighted multiple times, no specific laws have been enacted.
Due to the absence of a strong legal framework, many victims remain silent. Consequently, field administrators have urged the government to prioritise the formulation of such a law.
In this regard, the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs has already held several meetings with stakeholders. Sources from the ministry indicated that work is underway to place a draft of the law before the Cabinet before the next parliamentary session.
Following the session, State Minister for Social Welfare Farzana Sharmin told reporters that the existing list of social safety net beneficiaries is being re-verified.
She instructed the DCs to ensure that only those who are truly eligible remain on the list, removing questionable entries and including genuine beneficiaries who were previously left out.
The state minister added that the process of selecting beneficiaries through the G2P (government-to-person) system is ongoing. She emphasised that the role of field administration is crucial and directed everyone to maintain professionalism in the selection process.
Other topics discussed at the conference included the construction of a daycare center in every district, and the recruitment of physical education teachers for children's mental and physical development.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Youth and Sports addressed ways to shift children away from addiction to devices and back to sports fields.
Discussions included the renovation of stadiums, the creation of new playgrounds, and encouraging year-round sports alongside studies through the "Notun Kuri" sports programme.
Other proposals included creating the post of upazila sports officer in every sub-district, building a swimming pool in every district, and enhancing youth skills through training in third languages, mobile servicing, and freelancing. - The Daily Star/ANN
