Labor and Employment Minister and Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury on Monday said child labor persists in Bangladesh partly due to a lack of public awareness, stressing the need for stronger grassroots engagement involving local and religious leaders to help eradicate the practice.
Speaking at the observance of the World Day Against Child Labor 2026 at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) in Dhaka, the minister said the government would launch additional pilot projects to accelerate efforts to eliminate child labor across the country.
"Child labor also occurs due to a lack of awareness. Therefore, we have to work from the grassroots level. In this regard, we can leverage the support of local and religious leaders so that they can raise mass awareness to end child labor in Bangladesh," he said.
Ariful said the government remains committed to working with development partners, employers, workers' organizations, and civil society to strengthen child labor elimination initiatives.
The program was jointly organized by the Ministry of Labor and Employment (MoLE), the Child Labor Elimination Platform (CLEP), and the International Labor Organization (ILO) under the global theme, "Red Card to Child Labor: Fair Play for Children, Decent Work for Adults."
Md Abdur Rahman Tarafder, secretary of the Ministry of Labor and Employment, chaired the program, while ILO Bangladesh Country Director Max Tunon attended as the special guest.
Tunon said eliminating child labor requires coordinated action by government agencies, employers, workers' organizations, development partners, and civil society.
The event highlighted Bangladesh's progress in reducing child labor while acknowledging the challenges that remain. Cultural performances promoting child rights and remarks by a child representative underscored the importance of ensuring every child has access to education and a safe childhood.
Speaking at the program, Abdul Hamid, country director of Educo Bangladesh, emphasized the need for a sector-based approach to eliminating child labor and highlighted collaborative initiatives being implemented through the Child Labor Elimination Platform.
A panel discussion titled "Effective Steps and Shared Responsibilities to Eliminate Child Labor in Bangladesh" brought together representatives from the government, employers, workers, and the ILO to discuss practical measures for tackling child labor.