Bangladesh has witnessed a worrying surge in child labour over the past six years, with nearly 1.2 million additional children entering the workforce since 2019, according to the latest Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2025, raising fresh concerns about poverty, school dropouts and the country’s ability to protect its children.
The survey shows that 9.2% of children aged 5-17 are currently engaged in child labour, up from 6.8% in 2019.
The increase comes despite Bangladesh’s longstanding commitment to eliminate child labour and coincides with the observance of World Day Against Child Labour on June 12.
The findings suggest that economic hardship continues to push thousands of children out of classrooms and into workplaces, even as global child labour rates decline.
Child labour is a symptom, not the root problem, said child rights advocate Abdullah Al Mamun, pointing to school dropouts, poverty and weak social protection as the underlying causes.
He said Bangladesh still focuses more on rehabilitation than prevention.
“To eliminate child labour, we must tackle its root causes, not just the symptoms,” he said, stressing the need to keep every child in school through coordinated efforts by the education, social welfare, labour, women and children affairs, and local government ministries.
Children outside the education system face the highest risk.
According to the survey, out-of-school children are four times more likely to be engaged in labour than those attending school, underscoring the strong connection between poverty, educational exclusion and child employment.
Boys remain disproportionately affected, with around 11% engaged in child labour compared to 7% of girls.
The prevalence also rises sharply with age. While 8% of children aged 5-11 are involved in labour, the figure climbs to 14% among those aged 12-14.
Regional disparities are equally striking.
Rajshahi recorded the highest child labour rate at 12.4%, followed by Rangpur at 11.8%, Mymensingh at 10.1% and Khulna at 9.8%.
Rates in Barisal, Sylhet, Chittagong and Dhaka remained below the national average but continued to represent significant numbers of working children.
The MICS survey, which follows internationally recognized Sustainable Development Goal indicators, classifies child labour based on age-specific thresholds for economic activities and excessive household work.
The definition includes paid and unpaid work, family businesses, agricultural labour and excessive domestic responsibilities that interfere with education, health and development.
The rise in Bangladesh comes against a contrasting global backdrop.
According to estimates released by the Child Protection Global Network and the International Labour Organization, global child labour fell by more than 22 million between 2020 and 2024.
Worldwide, 138 million children remained engaged in child labour in 2024, down significantly from 246 million in 2000.
Child rights advocates say Bangladesh’s deteriorating economic conditions, inflationary pressures and gaps in social protection are contributing to the increase.
Although Bangladesh’s Labour Act prohibits employment of children under 14 and restricts hazardous work for adolescents, enforcement remains a challenge, particularly in informal sectors where monitoring is limited.
The government has recently prepared a draft National Action Plan 2026-2030 to strengthen efforts against child labour.
In his budget speech, Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said the government would continue implementing time-bound measures to combat child labour and ensure a safe environment for children’s development.
However, Unicef, the ILO and child protection experts have warned that legislation alone will not reverse the trend.
They argue that greater investment in education, social safety nets, nutrition programs and family livelihoods is essential to keep children in school and out of the workforce.
Mamun said a national action plan for 2026–2030 is being drafted and emphasized that expanding access to education and social protection for poor families is key to preventing child labour.
“Ensuring every child remains in school is the most effective way to eradicate child labour,” he added.
The latest figures serve as a stark reminder that while the world is making progress against child labour, Bangladesh is moving in the opposite direction.
For policymakers, the challenge is no longer simply adopting plans and policies, but ensuring that economic pressures do not force another generation of children from classrooms into workplaces.