Female agricultural workers in Kaharol upazila of Dinajpur district are facing persistent wage discrimination despite performing the same work as men. Around 90 percent of the upazila’s population depends on agriculture, and during the current Aman harvesting and threshing season, male and female labourers gather daily at the 10-mile Amtala intersection from dawn until around 10 am in search of work.
Speaking at the site on Friday, several women workers said they receive significantly lower wages than men for the same labour. While male agricultural workers are paid 500 to 600 taka per day, women receive only 300 to 350 taka. Female day labourers from Hatiari village of Prangaon union, including Usha Rani Roy and Dwipali Rani Roy, said they work the same hours and perform the same tasks as men but are paid much less. Many women said they do not understand why equal work results in unequal pay.
According to workers, hundreds of women are employed daily across different unions in the upazila, and demand for female labour remains high. Despite this, women reported that even when they work longer hours than men, wage discrimination persists. Several women said men often receive higher wages even when meals are provided by employers, while women receive lower pay despite eating at home and doing the same work.
Rani Bala and Haimanti Rani Roy from the Sadhur Bazar area of Rasulpur union said the lower wages make it difficult to support their families, especially with rising market prices. They said women complete household chores before going out to work, yet their income remains insufficient to meet basic needs.
When contacted, Kaharol Upazila Women’s Affairs Officer Afsana Mostari said women’s rights are discussed in meetings and seminars and stated that collective efforts from all sections of society are needed to eliminate wage discrimination against women. She expressed hope that the pay gap could be addressed through coordinated action.
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