Economic Reporter :
Stressing on proper rehabilitation aimed at eliminating hazardous child labour in the country, speakers at a workshop called for taking up measures for expansion of livelihood support for poor families for dissuading the poor people from sending their children for work.
Terming poverty as one of the main reasons for child labour, they said, we have to take social phenomenon into consideration. Enactment of law prohibiting child labour is not sufficient. There must be successful intervention providing social protection to the poor people if we want to eliminate the child labour, they said.
Engaged in dried fish, leather, tea, shrimp, bidi and domestic sectors, a large number of children are working there in hazardous conditions, they observed.
They made the remarks while addressing a workshop with National Child Labour Welfare Council at Department for Inspection of Factories and Establishment (DIFE) at Karwan Bazar in the capital on MOnday.
They suggested strengthening the capacity of DIFE, National Child Labour Welfare Council across the country, and active role of Civil Society for eliminating the child labour.
They also stressed on taking up massive rehabilitation measures, and launching vigorous awareness campaign for making Bangladesh free from the child labour.
INCIDIN Bangladesh organized the propgramme under Child Labour Improvements in Bangladesh (CLIMB) project supported by Winrock International and funded by US Department of Labor.
The programme was told that over 78,000 children work in dried fish sector, exposing themselves to hazardous chemicals and smoke, leading to skin disease and respiratory problems. Indebted labour from pre-payments, delayed payment and non-payment for work performed are common.
Shib Nath Roy, Inspector General of DIFE, attended it as the chief guest.
Moderated by AKM Masud Ali, executive director of INCIDIN, Zaman Khan, project director of CLIMB, Kazi Saifuddin Ahmed, labour adviser of Bangladesh Employers’ Federation, Advocate Md. Rafiqual Islam Khan, programme manager of INCIDIN, Md. Matiur Rahman, deputy inspector general of DIFE, Advocate Md. Delwar Hossain, general secretary of BLF, Advocate Salma Ali, human rights lawyer, Shukur Mahmud, president of Jatiyo Sramik League, among others, spoke at the event.
