Why not paternity leave, asks HC

The High Court on Tuesday issued a rule seeking an explanation as to why it should not instruct government and private institutions to implement policies ensuring paternity leave.

This order followed a preliminary hearing of a writ petition filed on the matter.

Previously, writ petitions had been submitted to the High Court, requesting directives to establish necessary policies for paternity leave in both government and private sectors.

On July 3, Supreme Court lawyer Ishrat Hasan and her six-month-old child, Nubaid bin Sadi, filed the most recent writ in the relevant branch of the High Court.

The writ petition names 11 defendants, including the cabinet secretary, public administration secretary, law secretary, women and children affairs secretary, social welfare secretary, health secretary, and labour secretary.

The petition argues that the father's role in newborn care is becoming increasingly significant, particularly in busy cities like Dhaka, where help from other family members may be limited.

It highlights the high rate of cesarean births in Bangladesh, noting that mothers need time to recover and that both mother and newborn require intensive care during this period. The absence of paternity leave makes it difficult for new fathers to provide adequate care for their wives and newborns.

According to the lawyer, the International Labour Organization (ILO) reported in 2014 that over 78 countries, including neighboring India, Bhutan, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, have provisions for paternity leave.

The lack of a paternity leave policy in Bangladesh is inconsistent with Articles 7, 27, 28, 29, 31, and 32 of the Constitution, she said.