Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal on Sunday stressed the need to ensure proper enforcement of laws to protect children's rights by holding those responsible accountable in case of failure.
“In cases of domestic violence where children are subjected to abuse and exploitation, law enforcement agencies unfortunately become compromised. There is a lack of scrutiny (monitoring) in our country regarding the extent to which executive officials are actually fulfilling their responsibilities,” he said.
The deputy speaker made these remarks at a dialogue titled "What Can We Do to Eliminate Child Labour" arranged by Action for Social Development (ASD) at the KIB Complex in the capital.
Citing that the ministers and MPs are elected for a particular period, while the executive officials remain in charge for a long time, he said the government officials must be held accountable in case of failure to enforce laws.
“Why are we not bringing government officials within the ambit of accountability? They receive their salaries from taxpayers’ money and must be accountable for their responsibilities,” he said.
Talking about child rape, Barrister Kayser Kamal said, unfortunately, this has turned into a social disease. “Why? Because they (children) are the most vulnerable elements and also the worst victims in our society,” he said.
He put emphasis on raising public awareness to overcome this social problem. “If we wish to overcome this situation, the first thing we need is public awareness. The government has a helpline—1098—though many of us may not be aware of it. Why isn't the number 1038 on everyone's lips today? While 999 is widely known, why isn't 1098?
The Deputy Speaker said 12-13% of the 1,400 people killed during the 2024 July Uprising were children.
He called for stronger coordination among Parliament, relevant Ministries, law enforcement agencies and NGOs working on child labour and child rights.
He urged the authorities concerned to ensure that existing laws and government projects related to child protection are properly implemented, saying that laws alone are not enough to protect child rights.
The Deputy Speaker urged participants to pledge not to employ children aged below 14 as domestic workers, saying efforts to eliminate child labour must begin from one's own home. “Let us start from this very room,” he said.