A Study on Employment of Women in the Government Sector of Bangladesh

Abstract

The study is aimed to analyze male and female employment ratio in the
government sector of Bangladesh focusing on female employment in particular and to
also to study the growth trend thereof from 1987 to 2010. Female employment is one of
the vital indicators of women empowerment and social development. In 2010 the civil
employees of the government were 1078082. Historically the involvement of female
persons in formal sector was not bright. Women were mainly engaged in informal sector
and a large portion of their contribution is not monetized. The study revealed that female
employment in the government sector was being increased gradually. Maximum growth
was being occurred in 3rd and 4th class employee level. Ratio of male employee had
diminishing trend from 1987 to 2006. Then there was an upward trend of male employees
till 2010. At the same time female employees had a constant upward trend from 1987 to
1998. Since 1998 this trend increased fast. Ratio of female employment in government
sector increased dramatically in recent years from 2006-2010. Maximum number of
female employees were engaged in the health and the education sectors. Some posts in the
class-iii are reserved for women. A large quantity of female employment was generated in
class-iii level post due to some policy interventions by government. Female employees
will nearly be equal to male employees within 20-25 years subject to the condition that
other related factors such as socio-economic, political and cultural environment contribute
positively or at least not hinder the growth.