Women’s unpaid labour worth Tk 570,000cr

• Unpaid work in 2021 valued at Tk 670,000cr 
• Women's share 85% of total, 16.14% of GDP
• Women spend 7.3 times more time than men on unpaid work

Women in Bangladesh carried out an estimated Tk 570,000 crore worth of unpaid household and care work in 2021, according to the country's first Household Production Satellite Account (HPSA).

Unpaid work overall was valued at Tk 670,000 crore, which is equivalent to 18.9 percent of the country's GDP -- with women performing 85 percent (16.14 percent of GDP) of this labour, according to the report, which was released yesterday.

The monetary value of unpaid household work alone stood at Tk 400,000 crore, with women contributing Tk 340,000 crore.

Meanwhile, unpaid care work was valued at Tk 270,000 crore, with women responsible for Tk 230,000 crore alone.

Men's contribution remained significantly lower, totalling around Tk 100,000 crore.

Prepared by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics and UN Women Bangladesh, with support from the global Women Count programme and technical assistance from the Asian Development Bank, the HPSA draws on data from the Time Use Survey 2021 and the Labour Force Survey 2022.

The initiative followed the interim government's pledge in 2025-26 fiscal year's budget to integrate unpaid labour into official GDP calculations.

The HPSA highlighted the economic importance of unpaid domestic and care work, including cooking, cleaning, laundry, household management and caregiving for children, older persons, persons with disabilities and those with health conditions.

Despite being essential to the functioning of families and the economy, this work has long remained invisible in national accounts.

Women spend 7.3 times more time than men on unpaid and care work, according to the BBS Time Use Survey 2021.

The HPSA report also provided a breakdown of the top unpaid activities by gender.

For women, these are food and meal management and preparation (Tk 240,000 crore), children and instruction (Tk 220,000 crore), and cleaning and maintaining their own dwelling and surroundings (Tk 47,000 crore).

For men, the top activities are: shopping for their household and family members (Tk 15,200 crore), children and education (Tk 34,300 crore), and travelling, moving and transporting (Tk 12,600 crore).

Nubayra Jeheen, programme analyst at UN Women Bangladesh, set the context for the report using a care calculator, a tool that allows individuals to measure the time they spend on unpaid household and care tasks and their economic value, both daily and annually.

Shaheen Anam, executive director of Manusher Jonno Foundation, said the HPSA marks a milestone for women's dignity and empowerment. "For years, we have stressed that women support society in countless ways, yet their efforts often went unnoticed and unmeasured. That recognition has finally come now."

"Through our advocacy, and with my personal engagement with the finance adviser, a commitment was made that was even highlighted in his budget speech. I believe it will not only transform women's position within the family but also strengthen their dignity in society," she added.

The report underscored the urgent need to recognise, reduce and redistribute unpaid care work.

It called for the establishment of an inter-ministerial mechanism to integrate unpaid work into laws and policies, prioritising care in national budgets and development strategies, and engaging the private sector to promote decent care jobs and family-friendly workplace policies.

It also emphasised the importance of sustained financing and regular data collection on unpaid work, and challenging social norms by encouraging men and boys to share care responsibilities.

Women and Children's Affairs Adviser Sharmeen S Murshid said this research will inform gender-responsive policymaking, planning and budgeting going forward.

"The care economy demands a different value system. Evidence and data are critical tools for shifting mindsets, and this takes time."

To ensure recognition of women's unpaid work, an inter-ministerial coordination framework needs to be established at the national level, she added.

UN Women Representative Gitanjali Singh said the persistent undervaluation of care work reflects deep-rooted gender inequalities and entrenched social norms, leaving women's contributions largely uncounted in traditional economic measures.

"Care is not a cost -- it's an investment. As we mark the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and uphold the spirit of CEDAW and the SDGs, we must reaffirm our commitment to a future where women's work -- paid or unpaid -- is fully recognised, valued and supported for a more just, equitable and prosperous Bangladesh," she said.