It is extremely disheartening to find that one in 11 Bangladeshi children is now engaged in labour; it is a troubling depiction of the state of children in our society.
The latest findings show that child labour has increased significantly in recent years, with poverty, school dropouts, and weak social protection systems pushing more children away from classrooms and into workplaces.
This is simply unacceptable for a nation that aspires to build a prosperous and developed future.
Children are not a source of cheap labour; rather, they are the foundation of our future.
Every child who is forced to work instead of study represents a lost opportunity -- not only for that child, but for the country as a whole.
Protecting and nurturing our children cannot, therefore, be viewed as the responsibility of only the government or select organizations. It is a collective responsibility shared by families, communities, businesses, and every citizen.
The rise of child labour is driven by larger issues like poverty, rising living costs, and children dropping out of education, and addressing this crisis requires tackling these root causes first.
Ensuring every child remains in school through accessible, quality education and providing support to struggling families must become national priorities. Expanding social safety nets, creating livelihood opportunities for parents, and improving workplace monitoring are also essential steps in this regard.
At the same time, child labour laws must be strictly enforced, particularly in informal sectors, while rehabilitation programmes should help affected children return to education and secure a safer future.
A child’s place is in a classroom, not in hazardous workplaces or under conditions that threaten their health and future. If Bangladesh is to truly progress, we must ensure that no child is left without protection, and only in doing so can we safeguard the nation we hope to build tomorrow.