Nuri, an 11-year-old girl from Bangladesh, labours under the scorching sun, breaking bricks into pieces on a construction site. For each sack of crushed bricks, Nuri gets only Tk50, barely the price of a meal.
Child labour is a problem that exists all over the world. It is a complex issue due to economic poverty, lack of social awareness, and ineffective enforcement of the law. Children are considered the future of a nation, yet child labour snatches away their childhood, making their future grim.
Estimation by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics' 2022 survey showed that there were over 3.5 million working children in the age group of five to 17 years, out of which 1.8 million were doing hazardous work. Their presence is visible in RMG factories, brick kilns, farmlands, and various workshops.
Accordingly, a report from Educo Bangladesh, 2024, has shown that 8% of children in this country are vulnerable to hazardous occupations -- because a child has to go to work instead of school, it influences them negatively in later years regarding education and development.
The major cause of child labour is poverty. Parents are compelled to send their children to work in order to increase family income. Furthermore, the lack of proper education systems and school infrastructure and a lack of interest in education also contributes to the increase.
The government of Bangladesh has taken some measures to prevent the employment of children. For example, the 2006 Labour Act prohibits the employment of a person below the age of 14. Employment in Article 34 of the Constitution prohibits forced labour.
Primary education was also made compulsory by the Education Act of 2010. However, the developments of the whole passage of law were still problematic because the required actions were not enforced.
Bangladesh is a signatory to Convention 138 and 182 of International Labour Organization (ILO). Under UNCRC, Bangladesh committed itself to protecting children and ensuring basic rights for children. But according to the international standard, Bangladesh lags behind in many areas.
According to a 2024 report, the rate of child labour in hazardous work has decreased by 20% in the last decade. Although these numbers show a glimmer of hope, child labour is still all-too-common in various rural areas of the country.
The government is implementing various projects to eliminate child labour. For example, the “Education for Children” program is working to bring back children who have dropped out of school. Children are being removed from hazardous work and rehabilitated. Regular inspection is carried out in factories and industrial establishments. Efforts are also being made to make education free and compulsory at the primary levels so that children from poorer families can go back to school.
However, not only the government, but every level of society needs to participate equally in the prevention of child labour. Parents, teachers, local leaders and conscious citizens need to work together. The negative aspects of child labour should be highlighted by raising awareness at the local level.
Several helplines are operational in Bangladesh for child protection. Among them, 1098 is operated under the Department of Social Services and is used to report complaints related to child abuse or exploitation. 16357 is the Workers Helpline, which is used to report complaints against child labour in factories. In addition, 109 is the national toll-free helpline, which is helpful in preventing violence against women and children. These helplines are playing an important role in protecting children and ensuring their rights.
Child labour is a big obstacle to the country's development of human resources. This is a national crisis that can only be solved through joint efforts, through legislation, education, and poverty alleviation. Our collective efforts are essential to build a society free of child labour.
Momotaz Akter Meghla is a freelance contributor and a student of law.
