Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) has congratulated the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) on the landmark findings of its first Household Production Satellite Accounts (HPSA).

The report values unpaid household work at a staggering Tk. 670,000 crore, equivalent to 18.9% of the nation's GDP, bringing long-overdue recognition to the invisible labour that underpins the economy.

The BBS report reveals that the monetary value of unpaid household work alone stands at Tk. 400,000 crore, with women contributing the vast majority of Tk. 340,000 crore.

This data provides official validation for the crucial, yet historically overlooked, economic contribution of women.

MJF commended the government's commitment to this issue and acknowledged the vital support provided by UN Women and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in producing this historic report.

Shaheen Anam, Executive Director of MJF, hailed the report's release as a pivotal moment for gender equality in Bangladesh.

"This is a historic moment when women’s unrecognized and undervalued household work will finally get the national attention it deserves," said Anam.

"We believe this will play a crucial role in changing society’s attitude towards women and girls. It will bring more recognition and appreciation for women engaged in household work, which is both productive and reproductive."

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The findings are a significant milestone for MJF’s long-standing "Equality through Dignity" campaign. Launched in 2013, the campaign has tirelessly advocated for recognizing women's contributions to enhance their status within the family and society, and ultimately, to reduce violence and discrimination against them.

The BBS survey results validate years of dedicated advocacy by MJF and many other civil society organizations.

Looking ahead, MJF urged the government to act on the report's recommendations.

The foundation strongly supports the call to establish an inter-ministerial mechanism to integrate unpaid work into national laws and policies, ensure adequate budget allocation, and commit to regular data collection to track progress.

MJF hopes these crucial next steps will be followed up and implemented swiftly to translate this data into meaningful change.