Numerically, gender gap between men and women in the country's labour force is narrowing down. According to a report of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), female participation in Bangladesh's labour force has increased from 33.2 per cent in 2016 to 36.3 per cent in 2017 .
However, the participation of male workers across agriculture, industry and service sectors was estimated at around 80.7 per cent in 2017. That means women roughly represent slightly less than half of the total workforce. But it augurs well that the annual increase in female employment is more than double that of male.
Although they have still a long way to go before bridging the gap with male representation in the broader workforce, yet in terms of contribution and value addition to the economy, the women are second to none. Of foremost importance, the vast majority of female workers - 80-85 per cent - is the mainstay of the ready-made garments (RMG) sector which is a resounding success story, a major pillar of our sustainable growth.
This has, besides, empowered our women who as earning members can and do take part in the family decision-making process. And, knowing the value for money they are constructive spenders.
In the domain of micro-financing , 92 per cent women of the mostly rural areas are involved, with their projects not merely creating wealth but also helping bring social change.
With little or no property ownership rights and a palpable lack of tools for farming or semi-farming activity, they are making a huge difference in fishery, horticulture, poultry, livestock-rearing. This is a measure of their contribution to the informal sector which employs 87 per cent of our labour.
To top everything up they are doing household chores of immense monetary value. If the volumes of unpaid work that women perform were to be monetised and factored into gross domestic product (GDP) calculations, the true magnitude of their contribution would have been recognised. Despite occasional demands for such a recognition being aired by development professionals, no measuring standards have yet been stipulated. Thus a long overdue step for recognition of women goes by default.
Let's not forget that improvement of women's health over the last few decades has translated into their higher life expectancy than that of men: 73 to 72; a quiet spousal longevity revolution has taken place.
In spite of the low participation of women in the South Asian nation labourscape, the ratios of Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have been steady or on the rise. Nepal's female labour force participation ratio (LFPR) was the highest at 79.3 per cent in 2008 in contrast to 'India's 26.2 per cent in 2011-12, down from 32.6 per cent in 2004-05, despite the country's strong economic growth'.
Analysing the factors behind the decline, the report identified 'increased enrolment of young women in secondary schools, rising household incomes, lack of suitable employment opportunities for women in the non-farm sector and measurement issues' as the reasons, according to the report. Most of the factors are quantifiable except those having to do with social norms which are difficult to specify, 'let alone measure.'
But surely dearth of childcare options can be mitigated to allow for more mothers to work outside their homes.