Govt resets target as prevalence still high

With a large number of children still employed in domestic and economic activities, the government has extended the timeframe to 2021 for prevention and elimination of child labour.

Earlier, the government had committed the International Labour Organization (ILO) to eliminate child labour by 2015. Later the timeframe was extended to 2016.

Joint Secretary at Ministry Labour and Employment Abul Kashem Masud yesterday said, "Reality suggests that it won't be possible to eliminate child labour by this year."

According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), the total number of child workers dropped from 32 lakh in 2003 to 17 lakh in 2013.

The official said, "If the ministries concerned work together, it will be possible to eliminate child labour."

He was addressing a discussion, "Child Friendly Police Station and Child Labour: Present Situation and Way Forward", organised jointly by Shapla Neer, World Vision Bangladesh, and the Centre for Services and Information on Disability (CSID) at The Daily Star Centre.

In December last year, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) met in Colombo to finalise the Regional Action Plan for the Prevention and Elimination of All Forms of Child Labour in South Asia and set 2021 as the new target year.

The government has revised the national target accordingly, he said. "We need child friendly society to eliminate child labour and child marriage."

He also emphasised public awareness in this regard.

Tariq-Ul-Islam, secretary at Ministry of Social Welfare, recommended bringing families of child labourers under social safety nets to address the problem.

Cultural personality Dr Enamul Haque underscored the need for self-reliance and activeness of individuals to stop hiring children for domestic work.

"We need to be modern and shed misconception. Some people see having child labourers at home as a status symbol," he said.

Speakers at the discussion urged the government to prepare rules of the Child Act 2013, and demanded a child desk and a child friendly police officer at every police station.

Country Director of Shapla Neer Yukiko Fujisaki, National Project Coordinator of ILO Syeda Munira Sultana, Advocacy Director of World Vision Chandan J Gomez, Executive Director of CSID Khandaker Jahurul Alam, and Advocacy Coordinator of World Vision Bangladesh Sabira Sultana also spoke.