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An overview of Child Labour in Bangladesh: a

critical legal analysis

By
Afifa Akther
Registration no: 18211035
Department of Law and Human Rights
University of Asia Pacific

Presented to
Noor-E-Medina Suraiya Jesmin
Lecturer at the Department of Law and Human Rights
University of Asia Pacific
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Abstract:

Children's labour is a major obstacle to developing countries' economic progress. Working

children frequently drop out of school early, and the ensuing comparative lack of knowledge
and skills reduces their future prospects for finding well-paid work. International legal
instruments, most notably the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN
CRC) and ILO conventions, address the issue of child labour and urge for its abolition in its
most heinous forms. Despite international and national efforts, child labour continues to be a
prevalent, and often socially acceptable, scenario, particularly in some developing nations.
Bangladesh is one of the countries that continue to struggle with the issue of a big number of
children working in situations regarded to constitute child labour. The primary cause for this
is poverty. Bangladesh has tried a variety of actions, including legal ones, in recent years to
address the matter. This article evaluates information on child labour in Bangladesh and the
country's present legal framework for child labour, demonstrating that gaps in Bangladesh's
legal and regulatory framework persist.

Chapter: 01

1. Introduction:

There has been a severe issue with child labour in Bangladesh, and it's becoming worse by
the day. The phrase "child labour" refers to children's participation in unlawful job and, more
broadly, activity that is recognized socially and morally unacceptable by state legislation, the
ILO Minimum Age Convention of 1973, and the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention
of 1999. According to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1990) and Bangladesh's
Children Act (2013), a child is anybody under the age of 18. Thus, in a broad sense, child
labour refers to work performed by a person under the age of 18 in any business. The 18th
International Conference of Labour Statisticians recognized that not all children who work
are engaged in child labour that is subject to abolition. This indicates that there are allowed
limitations to child labour, which are established and based on a range of variables, including
socioeconomic reality. In Bangladesh's legal landscape, there is already a comprehensive
legislative structure in place to regulate child labour. Under the Labour Act of 2006, child
employment in any occupation or establishment is prohibited; adolescents are only to be
employed with a certificate of fitness from a registered medical practitioner, which must be
renewed every two years; adolescents are not to be employed in hazardous work unless
certain conditions are met; and adolescents are not to be employed in hazardous work unless
the government declares a list of hazardous works in the Official Gazette. Because certain
economic sectors are prohibited from its application, such as agriculture, where pesticides are
employed, which is harmful, the Labour Act 2006 has a restricted scope of application. They
also didn't deal with the informal sector in a systematic way.

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1.1 Background of the study:

The term "child labour" refers to the practice of engaging children under the age of 18 in a
manner that is widely seen as detrimental to their well-being. Child labour is described as
employment that deprives children of their youth, their potential, and their dignity while also
being hazardous to their physical and mental development. In 2008, it was projected that
there were 215 million child labourers in the world, with 115 million of them doing
dangerous work. Sixty % worked in agriculture, while only twenty % were paid, with the
bulk working as unpaid family labourers. Pesticide usage, hard lifting, and the use of
dangerous instruments and machinery are all considered "worst kinds of child labour" in
agriculture.
1.2 Statement of the problem:

Child labour can result in severe physical and psychological suffering, as well as death.
Trafficking and psychological or economic exploitation are possible outcomes. And in
virtually every case, it denies children access to education and health care, jeopardizing their
fundamental rights and prospects. On 29 July 2021, an international news platform dubbed
vice global news was launched. Compa Rani Bormon, 14, moved from her tranquil hamlet
Chandpur to one of Bangladesh's growing industrial regions, Narayanganj, with huge
ambitions of helping her family. When the pandemic struck, her father arranged for her to
work at a factory until school resumed. Bormon obtained a forged birth certificate — with the
assistance of her classmates – on June 25.
On June 28, she began working at Hashem Foods Limited, a well-known food and beverage
manufacturer. Her monthly salary was fixed at 5,300 taka ($63), plus 3,000 takas ($35) for
overtime. By July 9, she was no longer alive. Compa is one among 51 people who perished in
the fire at Hashem Food factory's six-story structure, according to authorities. The fire was
one of the biggest calamities in recent Bangladeshi history. Only three bodies have been
recognized, while the remaining 48 are unidentifiable. Half of them were performed by kid
labourers. Following that, this struck my mind and motivated me to conduct further
investigation.

1.3 Aim of the Research:

The aim of this research is to identify the current state of affairs and the circumstances
contributing to the increase of child labour in Bangladesh.

1.4 The objective of the study:

 The main objectives of this research are to evaluate how child labour is regulated in
Bangladesh and how children's rights are protected.
 To identify how the country's current laws protect children from child labour.
 To identify the elements that influences a child's or family's decision to accept
employment.
 The effectiveness of existing laws and regulations.

1. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
299083266_Protecting_Child_Labour_in_Bangladesh_Under_Domestic_Laws
2. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vice.com/amp/en/article/qj8n8d/deadly-fire-
exposes-child-labour-snack-factory-bangladesh
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1.5 Research gap:

Child labour is typically overlooked in terms of gender issues, there is no evidence of

improvement in the worst forms of child labour, and critical intervention categories are
missing from the data. We identify these issues and limitations in information towards the
conclusion of this study.

1.6 Research contribution:

This research article will identify the mechanisms through which social protection and labour
programs may affect child labour and will identify evidence for various program types. Our
objective is to get a comprehensive knowledge of how policies and programs are likely to
affect child labour, as well as why child labour continues to grow despite current laws and
regulations.

1.7 Limitation of the study:

This research will identify pertinent data, sources, online polls, films, as well as applicable
legislation and regulations. Though there is less information available in online and mostly on
gender characteristics of child labour, the study may provide a wealth of information, which
will be thoroughly analysed through surveys and historical records.

Chapter 02

Discussion

2.1. Introduction:

Participation of children in activities such as helping their parents at home, assisting them at
work, and earning pocket money during school vacations is considered to contribute
positively to the development of children's skills and experience, as well as to their ability to
be useful members of society in adulthood. However, child labour has frequently been
connected with work that violates his or her human rights, endangers his or her mental and
physical health, and impairs his or her development. Due to the fact that children are abused
and subjected to dangerous risks and illnesses, child labour has become a global issue. This
word refers to work in hazardous locations, using hazardous machinery, equipment, and
tools, in an unhealthy atmosphere, and under tough working circumstances for extended
periods of time or during the night.

2.2. Definition of Child And child Labour:

The 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the 1999
International Labour Organization convention on the Worst Forms of Child Labour define a
child as an individual under the age of 18, unless the child's majority is acquired earlier under
the relevant legislation. To address these disparate regulations and the absence of a standard
1. https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/183558/1/wp-204.pdf
2. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/299083266_Protecting_Child_Labour_in_Bangladesh_Under_Domestic_Laws
3. https://www.bangladeshsociology.org/BEJS%2010.1Sharmin%20Aktar%20.pdf
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age regime, the eagerly awaited 2006 Bangladesh Labour Act consolidates and repeals all
previous labour laws, defining a child as an individual under the age of 14. Adolescents are
defined in the Bangladesh Labour Act, 2006, as those aged 14 to 18. In order for a teenager to
work in a factory, an employer needs to provide the teenager with the certificate of fitness
and require them to wear a badge at all times while on the job site. A provider is an exception
since, pursuant to section 44, a child under the age of 12 may be employed provided the
employment does not jeopardize his or her health or education. Child labour is described as
employment that deprives children of their youth, potential, and dignity and is detrimental to
both physical and mental development. UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund,
defines child labour as employment that lasts more than a specified number of hours,
depending on the child's age and the nature of the work.

2.3. Child Labour and Forced Child Labour in Bangladesh:

It's extremely astonishing to consider forced labour or slavery-like behaviours in the age of
human rights. However, millions of individuals worldwide are victims of forced labour, and
the number is growing at a rapid pace. Forced labour is quantified in terms of victimization,
deceit, restriction of mobility, isolation, physical and sexual assault, intimidation and threats,
retention of identification papers, wage withholding, debt bondage, terrible work and housing
conditions, and excessive overtime. These are frequent occurrences in Bangladesh.

2.4. Fundamental aspects of child labour:

Child labour as a concern in Bangladesh did not go up exactly lockstep with the growth of
firms involved in surplus production. Many children in the workplace are subjected to various
sorts of violence, which has a detrimental effect on their natural development. As a result of a
lack of a safe environment in the home, community and workplace, as well as in the legal
system (state and non-state institutions), children are frequently subjected to violence and
abuse. Bangladesh's present governance deficit has exacerbated the matter further, as duty
bearers such as legislators, executives, police, probation officials, and even judges continue to
be indifferent to children's rights and fail to offer enough protection, special care, and
treatment. However, in recent years, child rights have become a more prominent topic of
policy debates and conversations among government officials and non-governmental
organizations. The print media and private television networks have intensified their coverage
of abuse and torture against children. Numerous organizations are also educating the public to
ensure that Bangladesh e-Journal of Sociology. It is vital to emphasize here that while the
government is devoted to child protection; it lacks depth of knowledge and consistency in its
planning. For instance, the 1974 Children Act is a comprehensive and innovative piece of
legislation addressing the state's responsibility in child protection. Without a doubt, the 1974
Children Act is a work of art, well ahead of its time, designed to protect children's rights,
combining several beneficent Declarations, Conventions, and other international accords. As
part of this strategy, a Child Labour Unit has been formed, tasked with the responsibility of
collecting and distributing statistics on child labour. According to this policy, labour that puts
undue stress on a child's physical or psychological well-being and development, employment
that isn't compensated, or job in which a child is subjected to torture or exploitation, or
doesn't have any downtime, are all examples of hazardous work for children. However, the
Children Act 1974 is now being harmonised with worldwide legal norms. Both the 1974
legislation and the proposed draft impose sanctions on those who use minors in child labour.

1. https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/183558/1/wp-204.pdf
2. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
299083266_Protecting_Child_Labour_in_Bangladesh_Under_Domestic_Laws
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2.5. Child labour in various sectors: Child labour is not really a new issue in Bangladesh;
children continue to be one of the most vulnerable, exploited, disadvantaged, controlled, and
obedient populations in the country. Indeed, child labour is prevalent in Bangladesh, as
evidenced by a 2002-2003 survey done by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. At the
moment, 7.9 million children between the ages of 5 and 17 work in Bangladesh; children
account for 16.6 % of the total workforce; 62% of all working children work in agriculture;
149,000 children engage in the most heinous forms of child labour; and 1.4 million children
engage in hazardous work. Additionally, the biggest number of working youngsters, 49.5 %,
was found to be engaged in unpaid economic tasks on family farms or companies.
Additionally, 28.6 % were employed as paid day labourers, 14% as sales employees, and 25.4
% worked in the transportation industry. [British Broadcasting Corporation, 2002–2003] It's
also worth noting that minors employed in the industrial sector typically lack employment
contracts, which makes it harder for them to speak up and fight for their rights. In practice,
working children are exploited and used for the advantage of the more affluent sectors of
society. This is not so much planned exploitation of children by the affluent as it is a
reflection of society's mind-set. That is, companies favour youngsters due to their low cost.
Apart from this, a considerable number of youngsters, primarily females, are employed as
domestic assistance in both urban and rural regions.

2.6. Causes of Child Labour:

From a socioeconomic standpoint, it is possible to distinguish between push and pull

influences. Such a factor frequently interacts, increasing the risk of a youngster becoming a
child worker. Poverty is the primary motivator for youngsters to labour. Unemployment or
low income for parents, debts, the death or severe illness of a working family member, and
lawlessness all significantly increase the likelihood of children being sent to work to
contribute to the family income – these factors are frequently reinforced by extended family
size and are frequently caused by natural disasters such as cyclones, floods, storms, droughts,
and river erosion. Due to the absence of social security, some families rely on supplementary
income from their children. In times of economic distress, education becomes a cost to poor
families for two reasons: first, while primary education is free, secondary education incurs
costs for materials, exam fees, tuition fees, and transportation; and second, education reduces
available time for work that contributes to the family income. Along with the direct and
indirect expenses of education, the inadequate quality of education serves as a further
impediment. Public school learning environments and amenities are insufficient for providing
a high-quality education. When a substantial percentage of children remain illiterate or semi-
literate after completing elementary education, it's predictable that parents believe schooling
has fewer advantages for their children and family as a whole than putting them to work.
These impacts are exacerbated in some communities by parents with low levels of education
and a broad cultural expectation.

2.7. The effects of Child Labour:

The majority of adolescent labourers are exposed to harmful substances such as pesticides,
chemicals, dusts, and carcinogenic agents while working in agriculture, mining and
quarrying, and manufacturing. These factors contribute to an increased chance of acquiring
bronchial complaints, cancer, and other life-threatening disorders. Child labour may entail
risky machinery operation; heavy lifting, repeated chores, and bad posture, all of which
increase the likelihood of developing musculoskeletal disorders later in life. Similarly,

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Children employed in professions such as garbage recycling and waste management operate
in an unprotected environment and are thus exposed to a variety of hazardous elements such
as broken glasses, sharps, and rotting food, all of which can have significant and irreversible
health repercussions.

2.8. Conclusion:

Engaging children in severe conditions violates their rights and endangers their health. Child
labour is a severe issue in Bangladesh and is being considered as a serious issue in the
country. Millions of youngsters in Bangladesh are compelled to labour in dangerous
situations due to poverty, demography, and the high expense of schooling. Bangladesh's
government should continue to advance children's rights and interests by enacting legislation
to address this issue. Bangladesh should pay particular attention to the issue of child labour,
as children are a nation's future.

Chapter 03

3.1 Literature review:

A Study of the Current Child Labour Situation in Bangladesh Shima Zaman and Ashiq
Mahmud Bin's research indicates that many children participating in child labour are
technically trafficked. Available from -
https://www.shram.org/uploadFiles/20180221121525.pdf
The act of recruiting, transporting, transferring, harbouring, or receiving a child for the
purpose of exploitation is considered child trafficking. Exploitation encompasses, but is not
limited to, another people's prostitution or other types of sexual exploitation, forced labour or
services, slavery or activities resembling slavery, servitude, or organ harvesting. The reason
some parents allow their children to travel with a trafficker is that these individuals are
frequently known and trusted by the victim's parents, and they are frequently duped by
traffickers regarding the nature of the work their children will perform and the destination to
which they will travel. Both legislation and a resolution must be submitted in order to classify
a kid as a victim of human trafficking.
Again, in the article Child Labour in Bangladesh: A Serious and Sensitive Socio-Economic
Issue? Available from-
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3780004
Discussing Child Labour in Bangladesh in the Context of Socio-Economic Factors The
author Ahmed Ragib Chowdhury demonstrates the legislative gaps and also the primary
reason why children are involved in child labour. He discovered that under the Labour Act
2006, a kid is defined as the person who has not yet reached the age of 14, while an
adolescent is defined as a person who has not yet reached the age of 18. While the Labour
Act does not expressly say that anyone under the age of 18 is a kid, it closely follows the
Children Act and the CRC definitions. According to a study, paid employment is more
accountable and desirable to parents than unpaid labour. Children's financial earnings benefit
the family in several ways. Around 69.4 % of parents embrace child labour to supplement
their income. Other reasons, such as an unwillingness to study (4.8 %) and repayment of a
debt (4.1 %), are the second and third causes, respectively, but they are negligible.
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3.2 Conceptual Framework:

The work of this paper is the structure of the child labour in Bangladesh. The structure has
been showing in a flowchart below:

Parental Through enforcement

poverty and
of law
illiteracy Education will
raise their
Child labour productivity
Technologic displacement through
al needs subsidized education Long term
Child labour elimination of
child labour
Lack of
reservoir Through compulsory Schooling will
awareness education
keep them away
from work place
Through Micro
Quality of financing in informal
education and sector
poor infrastructure

Chapter 04

4.1 Case analysis of the existing legal provision:

Case Study 01:

Md. Hossain, a vegetable tout, lives in a slum with his parents, who came from a hamlet in
the Mymensingh area. His father worked in a similar field, while his mother is a housewife.
He has a sibling and a sister. He is 12 years old and has been working in this capacity for
around five years. His father is unable to work owing to his advanced age, forcing Hossain to
work and drop out of school when he was in class four. He is unaware of his mother's
educational background. He donates his whole profits to his family. Hossain works from 8
a.m. to 12 p.m., makes an average of Tk. 70 per day, wishes to work in a vegetable shop, and
has no intention of studying in the future, if the chance presents itself.

Case Study 02:

Md. Rahim, 13, lives in a slum in Mirpur, Dhaka with his parents and works in a factory in
Gabtali that employs about 150 people, approximately 100 of them are children. He has been
employed there for almost four years. Every day from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. in
exchange for Tk. 1000 each month. His educational attainment is limited to reading. He is not
compensated for festival attendance, festival leave, weekly vacation, or overtime labour. If he
is away from work for a day, his salary (about Tk.30) would be removed. His employer's
behaviour is quite brutal; he frequently abuses and bruises him.

1. https://www.bangladeshsociology.org/BEJS%2010.1Sharmin%20Aktar%20.pdf
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Case Study 03:

Md. Abdur Rahman, 12, a worker at a Mirpur motor workshop, moved to Dhaka from a
hamlet in Faridpur in search of job. His father died while he was a child, and his mother is a
housewife. He is the youngest of five brothers and sisters. He is the family's eldest member,
and has gone to Dhaka to work in order to support his mother and younger siblings and
sisters. He has completed up to class six, whereas his mother has completed up to class three.
His mother is the one who convinced him to come to work. There are around twenty workers
at the garage, ten of whom are his age. Rahman works daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and
does not have a weekly vacation. Due to his inexperience, it has been agreed that he would
currently get simply food and shelter. His boss is a model employee. He aspires to be a
skilled technician and has no desire to further his education, even if given the opportunity.

Case Study 04:

Md. Kamrul, 12, lives in Mirpur, Dhaka, with his parents. He is the youngest of three
brothers and two sisters. He has worked in Dhaka's local bus system for over three years. He
had discontinued his studies on his own volition when he was in class five. His mother
possesses only a rudimentary level of literacy. He was driven to enter the job by his buddies
who work in a variety of fields. His parents neither encouraged nor discouraged his efforts.
He works every day from 7 a.m. to 7 a.m., must eat and sleep on the bus during working
hours, and earns around Tk.250 each day. He aspires to be a driver and has no intention of
achieving that goal by other means.

4.2 Legal provisions:

Constitutional Law:

Bangladesh's Constitution is the ultimate legislation, and it establishes human rights as a

fundamental principle of governmental policy. Although the Constitution does not expressly
ban child labour, there are various standards that govern its control.
Part II of the Constitution outlines the Constitution's essential foundations of governmental
policy. The state is required to adopt these principles while enacting legislation, and they
"must serve as a guide for the interpretation of the constitution and other Bangladeshi laws."
Articles 15 and 17 bear the closest resemblance to policies relating to child labour. Article 15
provides fundamental rights, including the right to education and health care, as well as the
right to appropriate rest, recreation, and leisure. According to Article 17, education must be
free and obligatory for all children until they reach the age specified by law. Part III of the
Constitution contains a bill of fundamental rights. A clear relationship to the sphere of
employment is found in Art. 34, which prohibits all types of forced labour and makes any
violation of this provision a criminal offense. Additionally, the Constitution expressly permits
favourable regulation of women and children, as Art. 28 (4) prohibits any interpretation of the
fundamental right against discrimination that would preclude the State from making special
provisions in favour of women or children, or for the advancement of any other
disadvantaged group in society. These fundamental clauses make it very obvious that they
foresee a contemporary, socially conscious state. They may be seen as a favourable, albeit
relatively broad and open, legislative framework for addressing the issue of child labour.

1. https://www.bangladeshsociology.org/BEJS%2010.1Sharmin%20Aktar%20.pdf
2. https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/183558/1/wp-204.pdf
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The Bangladesh Labour Act 2006:

Bangladesh's labour act 2006 amended and unified 25 previous labour laws, incorporating
several significant labour rights provisions. It is widely regarded as the most noticible
national regulation pertaining to child labour. The Labour Act 2006 was changed in 2013 in
reaction to the collapse of the Rana Plaza factory building in Bangladesh, which resulted in
the death of over 1,100 predominantly female textile workers. While this amendment focused
on other issues of labour law, it also included some new measures on child labour. A kid is
defined in Section 2 (63) of the Labour Act as an individual who has not reached the age of
fourteen. The Act creates the category of 'adolescent' for young people aged fifteen to
eighteen. Section 34 is the basic law governing child labour. Section 34 (1) makes it illegal
for children to be employed in any occupation or institution. Section 35 reinforces the
restriction by prohibiting parents or other guardians of a child from entering into any
arrangement for the use of a child's services in any occupation. However, Section 44 makes
an exemption for light labour performed by children aged twelve or older, providing that such
activity does not interfere with their physical and mental growth or education, particularly
their school attendance. Section 34 (2) specifies the conditions under which teenagers may
work. While on the job, each teenager must have a reference to a certificate of fitness for the
job. The certificate must be issued by a licensed physician and is valid for duration of twelve
months. The employer is responsible for any certificate fees (Section 37). Furthermore, the
Labour Act specifically prohibits teenagers from performing some types of dangerous labour.
Cleaning, lubricating, and adjusting any portion of equipment that is in motion are strictly
banned (3). In principle, Section 40 permits employment on dangerous devices only if the
teenager has received enough training or is adequately supervised. Additionally, Section 42
prohibits the hiring of teenagers for underground and underwater labour. Section 41 specifies
the acceptable working hours for teenagers, so protecting them from the dangers associated
with prolonged labour. In accordance with its responsibilities under Section 39 (1), the
government has established a list of additional dangerous jobs to which no adolescent shall be
assigned pursuant to Section 39 (2). The list includes 38 economic sectors where hazardous
working conditions for minors are frequent. However, it is not applicable to a number of
economic areas. Workers on agricultural farms with less than ten employees, domestic
servants, and employees in "establishments maintained by the owner with the assistance of
family members and without the use of hired labour" are not covered by the Bangladesh
Labour Act.

Children Act 2013:

The new Children Act, established in 2013, complements the national legal framework for
child labour. It supersedes the previous Children Act. A kid was defined in the 1974 Children
Act as a person under the age of sixteen years. It intended to protect children from economic
exploitation by establishing a variety of consequences, including jail and fines, for hiring
children for the purpose of begging or exposing them to the danger of seduction, sodomy,
prostitution, or any other immoral situation. The Children Act 2013 is the first national law to
provide children with the ability to utilize legal mechanisms to defend themselves. According
to Section 4, a child is now defined as a person under the age of eighteen. A critical
component of the legislation is the criminalization of specific behaviours, such as coercing
children into begging or selling drugs or guns to children131, as well as the criminalization of
mistreatment at any type of job.

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Human Trafficking Deterrence and Suppression Act 2012:

Bangladesh's government made significant headway in ending the worst types of child labour
in 2012, when it enacted the Human Trafficking and Deterrence and Suppression Act. This
legislation prohibits and punishes human trafficking, including labour trafficking, with a
particular emphasis on internal and transitory human trafficking. The passage of this
legislation is another step toward implementing international standards, as child trafficking is
one of the most heinous types of child labour. The Act imposes severe punishments ranging
from fines to the death sentence. Additionally, in 2012, the government decided on a National
Plan of Action to execute the Act.
Chapter 05
5. Research Methodology:

Based on secondary data, this research largely relies on literature analysis and interviews with
a wide range of people and professionals to gather information. Some inconsistencies exist
between official and non-government sources, but the data is generally consistent and
dependable. Qualitative analysis has been given more weight than quantitative one.

Child labour scenario in Bangladesh:

In 2012, Bangladesh made a little progress toward eradicating the most heinous types of child
labour. Bangladesh enacted the Human Trafficking Deterrence and Suppression Act 2012,
making trafficking (including labour trafficking) a criminal felony, built and fully financed a
Child Labour Monitoring Information System to manage child labour-related data, and
launched a $9 million child labour initiative. Additionally, the Government authorized the
National plan of action for the abolition of child labour. However, legislative safeguards for
child labour are inadequate, and enforcement capability for child labour laws remains
insufficient. Bangladesh has a low obligatory school age. Children in Bangladesh are
subjected to the most heinous types of child labour, particularly in hazardous agricultural and
domestic service jobs. According to the International Labour Organization's definition (right),
Bangladesh has around 3.2 million child labourers. In Bangladesh, working children are a
prominent aspect of daily life: little toddlers serve at roadside tea shops and weave between
automobiles selling things to motorists. Additionally, youngsters labour in professions that
are concealed from view, such as domestic employment, complicating regulatory oversight.
The bulk of child domestics are between the ages of 12 and 17. However, children as young
as 5 or 6 years old are employed, and a survey of child domestic workers discovered that 38%
were 11 to 13 years old and approximately 24% were 5 to 10 years old. Additionally, the
Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics projected in 2004 that the overall number of children aged 5-
17 years in January 2003 was 42.4 million, with 35.1 million falling into the 5-14 age groups
and 7.3 million falling into the 15-17 age group. Around 22.7 million males and 19.7 million
girls made up the expected total kid population aged 5-17 years. Children in Bangladesh are
subjected to the most heinous types of child labour, particularly in hazardous agricultural and
domestic service jobs. Children who labour in agriculture undertake a range of duties and
may come into contact with hazardous machinery and instruments, poisonous chemicals, and
large loads. In Bangladesh, children, primarily females, work as domestic staff in private
families. Certain child domestic workers are exploited and are at risk of abuse, including
sexual assault. Bangladesh has a history of forced child labour. Children are forced or
enslaved labourers in the fish drying industry. Bangladeshi minors are also exploited in the

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Commercial sex sector; others are trafficked both domestically and to India, where they are
sexually exploited.

Chapter 06

A nation's future depends on the well-being of its children, and if those children are
exploited, they won't be able to do so. Additionally, children regularly stated their concerns
about the lack of a safe environment, which exposes them to violence, abuse, and exploitation
in their families, communities, streets, workplaces, and schools. Working children are
severely disadvantaged in terms of schooling. It has the potential to have a significant
influence on many facets of society. This is why they require appropriate government action
to ensure their continued growth and development since they have the potential to become a
nation's asset in the future.

6.1 Recommendation:

Child work is a difficult and worthwhile endeavour that demands financial, moral, and
political support at all levels of society. In truth, child labour cannot be completely eradicated
from a nation like Bangladesh at the moment since the problem is so ingrained in our society
that efforts must first be taken to reduce it. However, it can attempt to avert this by following
the path.

 Even though poverty is the main factor of child labour, as it forces children to work in
order to avoid malnutrition and supplement the family income, effective solutions to
child labour must be based on chronic poverty reduction through broad economic and
social development, with a strong emphasis on human resource development. As
such, I argue that in order to eliminate or significantly reduce child labour, as well as
poverty, child-centred educational sensitivity and understanding at the governmental,
community, and family levels are critical.

 To begin, consider the situation of child-centred educational sensitivity. To establish

this level of sensitivity, educated parents, educated family members, and an educated
community must be established, and they will play a critical part in the progressive
abolition of child labour. Existing educational processes should be considered in this
regard. The educational process must be altered, and a revised curriculum must be
implemented, one that includes fundamental concepts surrounding child work.
Additionally, to ensure the effectiveness of education, arrangements should be made
in the anticipated adjusted curriculum around vocational training that would enable
students to obtain jobs promptly and readily upon graduation.

 Then consider the scenario of increasing awareness. Education, more than any other
factor, increases a person's consciousness. Incorporating knowledge regarding child
labour into school curricula might also serve as a means of raising awareness.
Simultaneously, government and non-government groups may educate the public by
disseminating leaflets to the general populace and airing advertisements, feature films,
and short films on television.
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 Child labour laws apply exclusively to established economic sectors. However, the
majority of minors employed in the informal sector, which includes tiny industries,
workshops, motor garages, retail outlets, agriculture, and domestic employment, are
not controlled by law and are not supervised by any government body.

 Child labour legislation is appropriate in terms of outlawing it, but is imprudent in

terms of not enforcing the applicable laws. As a result, enforcement processes must be
reinforced and law enforcement organizations must be independent of political
interference.

 When amending domestic legislation, the government may adhere to the international
norms established by the international forum.

 The most critical recommendations concern the establishment of an inter-ministerial

National Taskforce on Child Labour and Education, the review and effective
implementation of the Labour Act (2006), and the urgent need to expand the capacity
of the recently established Child Labour Unit and to ensure that the unit is capable of
carrying out its responsibilities and functioning effectively.

6.2 Conclusion:

Children are a state's future optimism. As a result, if they are exploited at a young age, they
will be unable to contribute to the country's prosperity. Additionally, children constantly
voice their concerns about a lack of a safe environment, which results in violence, abuse, and
exploitation within the family, neighbourhood, street, work place, and school, as well as in
state and non-state institutions and the court system. Bangladesh's present governance deficit
has exacerbated the matter further, as duty bearers such as legislators, executives, police,
probation officials, and even judges continue to be indifferent to children's rights and fail to
offer enough protection, special care, and treatment. It is vital to emphasize here that while
the government is devoted to child protection; it lacks depth of knowledge and consistency in
its planning. That is why national action is required immediately, since timely intervention
can only have a beneficial effect on reducing or eliminating child labour at all levels of
society.
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2. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
299083266_Protecting_Child_Labour_in_Bangladesh_Under_Domestic_Laws
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