Care Responsibilities and Women’s Work in Bangladesh

Rising trends in women’s labour force participation rates in Bangladesh are driven primarily by agricultural activities in rural areas. We argue that the home-based nature of such activities warrants closer attention. We utilise the 2016 Labour Force Survey data to analyse women’s labour market choices. Results suggest women choose occupations with flexible hours and convenient locations that accommodate their caregiver roles. Time spent in caregiving reduces labour employment outside the home. Household living arrangements play a role; belonging to a joint family is associated with increased outside employment for women. Women spend more time on care responsibilities and less time on outside employment. Higher education increases the likelihood of employment outside the home. Our results highlight considerations of care-work for labour market-related outcomes and the necessity of addressing these in labour policy.