‘Socio-economic reality obstacle to removal of child labour’

The country has to address child labour by 2025, to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for ensuring children’s welfare, a Prothom Alo roundtable was told.

Discussants there said despite strict provisions of law it is difficult to entirely remove child labour due to the country’s socio-economic reality.

Unlike Western context, the family of a youth in this part of the world who works may suffer for want of food and other basic supports, if s/he is not allowed to work.

Prothom Alo, in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), organised the roundtable titled ‘World Child Labour Prohibition day: Situation of Bangladesh’ at its office in the capital’s Karwan Bazar on Wednesday.

Referring to the government’s various initiatives, state minister for labour and employment Md Mujibul Haque said the present government is committed to removing child labour.

He said the factory inspection directorate has been asked to take actions against factories that employ children in risky works.

“Besides the government initiatives, parents and employers must be conscious,” the state minister insisted.

ILO country director Tuomo Poutiainen called on the government to ratify the ILO Convention 138 to uphold the rights of the children.

ILO programme officer Munira Sultana recommended making harsher penalties for anyone engaging children at risky jobs.

Jean Lieby, head of the child protection department of the United Nations Children’s Fund, said child labourers, especially domestic workers, are also being paid less.

“Many of them become victims of physical, mental and sexual abuse. These children have to work seven days a week,” he said.

Two such child workers from ‘Action for Social Development’ shared their experiences at the roundtable.

Monira Akhter said she was a student of grade IV when her parents send her to work.

Rabbi, a Leguna (human hauler) assistant, said passengers used to beat him while he collects fare.

Tempo driver Mallik Chan candidly said, “We had no option but to hire children worker.”

Inspector general of inspection department of factories and organisations Samukhuzzaman Bhuiyan said, “It’s possible to file cases to implement the law and save children from work. But what [would happen] next? What [is] about their rehabilitation? We have to keep in mind such realities while working on the issue.”

However, the state minister said, cases have already been filed against 170 factories that hired children at risky jobs. Of them, 40 cases have already been settled.

“The government has approved a project worth Tk 2.84 billion to rehabilitate 100,000 child labourers engaged in risky jobs,” he said.

Citing the consequences of child labour as horrific in future, Samajtantrik Sramik Front’s general secretary Rajekuzzaman Ratan said, children engaged in labour are becoming violent, deprived of love and alienated from the society.

“Such children may be drug addicted when grown up,” he added.

To remove child labour by 2025, the government to prepare a roadmap, suggested the executive director of Manusher Jonno Foundation, Shaheen Anam.

She also recommended listing domestic work for children as risky job.

Chandan Z Gomes, director of World Vision Bangladesh, said city corporations need to take necessary actions as the number of child labourers is high in the metropolitan areas.

Abdur Shahid Mahmud, director of the Bangladesh Children’s Rights Forum, said it is difficult to adopt proper plans due to lack of accurate data about child workers.

He said, there are higher number of child labourers in the domestic and transport sectors, but the government has no knowledge of it.

Anjir Liton, director of Bangladesh Shishu Academy, believes it is possible to prevent child labour by making the parents aware.

Shahida Begum, programme director of Save the Children, however, stressed the need for generating alternative income sources for the families after bringing the children out of labour.