Although women in Bangladesh are making huge strides in different socio-economic fronts, working women in Dhaka and other big cities continue to struggle for the lack of safe accommodation facilities.Now the government has adopted a plan – ‘Construction of Department of Women Affairs Complex at district level (phase 2)’ – to arrange accommodation for these women to utilise their full potential.
Ten-storied complexes will be constructed under this project in all 64 districts to ensure overall women development under the National Women Development Policy and Work plan.
Initially, the government will construct buildings in 13 districts – Chattogram, Madaripur, Habiganj, Manikganj, Munshiganj, Sirajganj, Feni, Jashore, Rangamati, Noakhali, Magura, Moulvibazar and Kurigram.
The buildings will have a day care centre for 75 children, 200-seat multipurpose hall room, deputy director’s office, six training centres and 70-seat working women hostel.
Apart from these, the Jatiya Mohila Sangstha, under the Women and Children Affairs Ministry, has a plan to construct hostels for working women in Gopalganj, Kishoreganj, Moulvibazar, Narail and Dinajpur.
Besides, the government is implementing four projects worth Tk 147 crore under the Women and Children Affairs Ministry to provide accommodation to working women and provide training to the unskilled ones.
Currently, there are seven hostels for working women under the Department of Women Affairs in Dhaka (Nilkhet, Khilgaon, and Mirpur), Rajshahi, Khulna, Jashore and Chattogram districts.
Besides, there is a hostel at Boro Ashulia in Dhaka for the women working in the garment industries.
The Jatiya Mohila Sangstha has a 200-seat women hostel – ‘Shahid Ivy Rahman Working Women Hostel’ – at its headquarters on Baily Road of the capital.
The government is constructing training centres and women hostels in Sonaimuri, Araihajar, Mathbaria and Kaliganj upazilas at a cost of Tk 52.49 crore.
According to the official document, the project will be completed in June this year where some 2,400 women will be provided training. Women aged between 18 and 35 years will be given training with accommodation to turn them into skilled human resources.
The project to construct a six-storied working women hostel and child day care centre in Kaliganj upazila of Gazipur will be completed in June at a cost of Tk 19.15 crore.
Under the project, 124 women will get accommodation facility.
The document said that working women hostels in Mirpur and Khilgaon are being constructed at a cost of Tk 39.38 crore. Under the project, the three-storied buildings in Mirpur and Khilgaon will be developed into ten-storied ones. This project is also scheduled to be completed in June this year.
The government is constructing a new 10-storied building besides Nilkhet working women hostel with Tk 35.97 crore. It is expected to be completed by June this year where some 245 working women will be offered accommodation, reports UNB.
