New nat’l plan needed to end child labour: speakers

The government should formulate a new national plan of action (NPA) to eliminate child labour from the country by 2025, demanded rights activists at a discussion yesterday.

Blaming the government’s failure in the NPA for 2012-2016, they stressed establishing an effective monitoring system to implement a fresh plan in this regard.

They were addressing a discussion on “Elimination of Hazardous Child Labour in Bangladesh: Issues and Opportunities” organised by Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum (BSAF), a network of 269 NGOs working for child rights, at the capital’s Cirdap auditorium.

Mujibul Haque, chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Labour and Employment, said the country has a policy on domestic workers’ protection and welfare, but a law for such workers, particularly children, should be enacted for their proper protection.

“The ministry concerned should be more vocal in this regard,“ said the MP.

In his speech, Barrister Shameem Haider Patwary, a member of parliamentary caucus on child rights, said the government should prioritise  elimination of child labour to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

BSAF Director Abdus Shaheed Mahmud said about 13 lakh children in the country are involved in hazardous labour. “A collaborative effort of the government and NGOs is needed to resolve the crisis,“ he said.

Presenting a keynote paper, Prof Nazmuzzaman Bhuian of Dhaka University’s law department said the government’s lack of monitoring has made fight against child labour difficult and time-consuming.

“A proper plan can protect children working in the informal sector which comprises around 94 percent of the total child labour,” he said.

He said a number of agreements including the CRC. Goal 8 of SDGs could properly guide the policy decision in formulating the NPA.

“Raising awareness among the people about the negative impact of the child labour, ensuring compulsory primary education, an institution-based countrywide monitoring and evaluation framework, establishing a good coordination among all relevant governmental and non-governmental agencies can play a vital role in eliminating child labour,” he said.

Among others, Labour and employment ministry’s Additional Secretary Md Rezaul Haque and Country Director for Islamic Relief Bangladesh and India Akmal Sharif also spoke at the discussion, presided over by BSAF acting chairman Mahbubul Hoque.