Six industries sectors of the country including tannery, glass, ceramic, ship recycling, export-oriented leather and footwear, and sericulture sectors have been freed afresh from child labour.
The announcement to free these particular sectors from child labour came following recommendations from the national monitoring core committee and the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE).
State Minister for Labour and Employment Begum Monnujan Sufian made the announcement at a press conference at Shrom Bhaban in the city’s Bijoynagar area on Thursday.
Earlier, the export oriented RMG and the shrimp processing industries were declared free from child labour. With the latest six sectors, a total of eight industries sectors are now free from child labour.
The leaders of the six sectors said there is no existence of child labour in their industries. The DIFE officials while making instant visits to the concerned industry factories did not find any such incident of child labour.
The stakeholders present on the occasion demanded for making other industrial sectors of the country free from child labour as well.
When asked whether there is any child labour in the RMG industries, Begum Monnujan said directives have been given so that NID card holders are given preference while appointing workers in those specific factories.
Labour and Employment Secretary KM Abdus Salam said the prevalence of child labour still exists in the hosiery industry in Keraniganj and the government has already vowed to make this sector free from child labour by this year.
Moderated by Joint Secretary of the Labour Ministry Mahbuba Bilkis, the function was addressed, among others, by the ministry’s Additional Secretary Dr M Molla Jalaluddin, Tiles Manufacturers’ Association President Sirajul Islam Mollah and ILO representative Syeda Munira Sultana.