Staff Reporter :
Speakers at a view-exchange meeting have opined that society based child safety scheme is the best method for welfare of the underprivileged children, although different government initiatives have already been taken in this regard.
They also urged local government representatives, law enforcement agencies, local people and public-private service providing organisations to take coordinated step to ensure safety of the deprived children.
Officials working in different government and non-government organisations arranged the meeting at a city hotel on Wednesday with the cooperation of Save the Children where they mainly focused on the success of ‘jagaron project’ and future planning on this issue.
According to a latest study conducted in the city’s Lalbagh and Chakbazar areas, about 93.90 per cent children work daily for more than 10 hours. Even after such tremendous pressure, they have to face various types of torture and repression in their work places.
The study reveals most alarming information that the child repression is increasing day by day. Only 4.8 per cent working-class children can go to school regularly while only 16.5 per cent children get medical facility.
In this situation, the study recommended to fix work-hour for the working-class children and employ them in specific job considering their age limit. Besides, it also recommended to ensure regular salary, providing health service and festival bonus for the deprived children.
Pointing the findings of the study, the speakers urged the media men, especially print media, to become more active by publishing features, articles and news items, to reduce child labour.
Moderated by project coordinator of Pradipon Azmal al Noor, among others, human rights activists AB Razzak, Sakila Parveen, local government representative Kumadesh Dey, executive director of Protect Journalist Nikhil Bhadra and advocate Md Quamrul Alam delivered speech in the meeting.
