Make action plan to end child labour

Speakers at a seminar yesterday emphasised the need for an action plan with a time frame to implement the newly-formulated National Child Labour Eradication Policy 2010.
The seminar on ''Implementation of the Child Labour Eradication Policy: Our Role'' was organised by Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum at Biam auditorium.
Sharfuddin Khan, an official of International Labour Organisation, in his keynote paper said a National Child Labour Welfare Council should be established soon with representatives from government bodies, NGOs and other stakeholders.
He also talked about the need to determine the number of child labourers in the country and nature and characteristics of their work and environment of their workplaces.
A working strategy should be formulated and projects and programmes launched within a time frame by setting goals and objectives to eradicate child labour, he added.
The government has already set up a unit to help implement the child labour policy approved in March, said Arun Kanti Aich, joint secretary to the labour and employment ministry.
Mahmudul Kabir, country director of Terre des Hommes-Netherlands, said mass awareness should be raised against child labour through publicity of the policy.
''We have a number of policies in the country, but what we need is their implementation,'' he added.
Abdullah Al Mamun, programme manager of Manusher Jonno Foundation and Mansura Akhter, coordinator of Democracy Watch, also spoke at the programme.