Bangladesh Is an example of the potential conflict between good Intentions io eliminate child labour and the poverty-driven need for children to work, without viable alternatives, reports UNB

United Nations Children Fund (Unicefl portrays this helpless situation pertaining to the child labour issue in Its annual report of 1995 made available to the media yester day.

The official figure of children working in various sec tors of the economy Is 5.7 million. But Unicef estimates the number of 10 to 14-year-old ranges from 5.7 million to almost three times.

The Unicef report referred to a 1994 survey in garment industry of Asian-American Free Labour Institute (AAFLI) that found children, like adult workers, were frequently locked In the factories, working 10 to 14 hours days with a half day off on Friday.

However, the export garment Industry, which em-

plovs as many as 55,000 child workers and exported US dollar 750 million worth of clothing to the United States In 1993, I* especially vulnerable to outside pressure

In 1993. fearing US legis latIon to ban import of garments made with child labour, employers dismissed about 75 per cent of their child workers, causing great financial hardship to the children and their families

A Unlcef/ILO (International Labour Organisation) study later found many of the children "wound up In situations far worse than those they had left." the report said.

The UN body, however, expressed satisfaction over the agreement they signed with Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and ILO early last month.

Under the agreement, to be fully Implemented from November this year, all the underaged children working in the readymade garment sector would be placed in education programmes.