BARELY six months ago Amena Begum, an 11-year-old girl, used to work hard in a garment factory. Today, she goes to school. But she is not happy.

"It s not that I enjoyed working. or dislike schools; 1 need a job as much as I need schooling." said Amena at a school for the young children who have been retrenched from garment factories.

Amena's lob used to fetch her poor family between Tk 700 and Tk 1.400 a month. As a student she now gets a stipend of Tk 300 a month. That's the main reason why she is unhappy.

Amena's feelings sire shared by dozens of other children studying with her in the school who cannot work in garment fa< lories because they are under. ige

Irider international pres-

sure the garment manufacturers In Bangladesh has to fire all child workers and send them to schools which are being financed by Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA). UNICEF and ILO. Two NGOs — BRAC and GSS are supporting the project.

The move that came as the result of a Memorandum of Understanding the BGMEA signed with UNICEF and ILO has averted a possible boycott of Bangladesh garments by the western countries.

The programme is apparently good. But the problem lies with their families. Because the family members have been unable to be compensated for the income their children have lost

My family is suffering now. We don't get enough food to eat" Amena said.

It's true that the MOU is changing the lives of the children. but the stipend they receive in lieu of is not enough to make up their lost wages.

Salma Begum, 10, student of a school at Mirpur D-Block, said that her father is a pushcart driver and mother works as maid servant at different houses in the area.

Salma, who used to supplement her family income, is now unable to even fulfil the smallest wishes of her younger brother as her earnings have come down by 50 per cent. Once again she prefers work to educa-tiqn.

"How can I come to school with an empty stomach?", she wondered.

Sohel. a 10-year-old student of the same school, is also looking for a Job to help his parents.

Sohel. son of a rickshawpuller. migrated to Dhaka from Khulna with his parents in search of work and managed a job in Anamlka Garment in the city, but he lost it after he was identified as a child labour.

The same story goes with Rina. 12 a student of Rupnagar ^School at Mirpur. She had worked for a city garment fac tlory for about two years and lost the job as underage girl

My monthly income was 1300 when I worked for GS Garment and used to help my widow mother, now 1 am unable to help her.' Rina regretted

Her classmate Rehana also got the same problem Rehana used to earn Tk 1200 per month working for a garment factory Now she cannot help her disabled father with such small amount of stipend. Her mother is a maid servant and the younger brother is too small to earn. They also stepped into the

capital from an impoverished village of Bagerhat district to change their lot.

"I feel proud of being able to read, but the problem is that 1 cannot any more help my poor parents," said Muhammad Anwar who used to earn Tk 1200 every month.

While visiting the schools set up by the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) and Gano Shahajiya Sangstha (GSS) in the city, this correspondent talked to more than 100 students who have similar tales.

Akram Hossain, guardian of a child labour, told this correspondent khat his 10-year-old daughter Rubina was a garment worker, she lost the job as underage girl, leaving his family in an economic hardship.

Another widow, a slum resident at Mirpur. said her 11 -year-old daughter Hosna used to fetch up about Tk 1000. Now she lost the job for the same reason (underage).

Masuda Begum, a school teacher, said the children who came from various garment factories have a profound interest in education. "But we cannot be sure that how long they will be able to continue as' the economic condition of their families is miserable.''

According to the sponsors, the children will have to have patient. Because they are supposed to get back their Jobs as soon as they attain the age of 14. Only the under-14 children can t work.

While talking to this correspondent GSS Executive Director Dr Mahmud Hasan attributed the growing trend of child labour to the country's acute poverty

Had the 29 billion US dollars — the country received as foreign aid since its liberation

— been utilised properly its poverty level would have come down remarkably", he pointed out.

The amount we are now giving to the terminated child labourers is not adequate, hut the positive side is that the children will get back their jobs, alter they cross the age bar of 14". he said and mentioned that the monthly expenditure against each student is Tk 840.

As of June 23. 1996. 107 schools have been set up for garment worker children in Dhaka. Naryangani and Chittagong with a total enrolment of 1.578 children-

Accordin^^Bnternattonal Labour Ot^^P^Bon (ILO) Convention. children under the age of W4 cannot work as labourers. As per Article 7-1 of ILO Convention the child shall have the rights to know and be cared for by his or her parents.

International concern over the child labour is increasing day by day and the world attention focused on countries like Bangladesh which faced threats of boycott of products made by children.

Under the circumstances, Bangladesh continues to work towards thY' Tebminatloi^of child labour and-their placement in appropriate educ|t^on programmes.

As per the MOU signed among the UNICEF. BGMEA and ILO. UNICEF provides US $ 175.000 in 1995, and additional support later on. and the BGMEA has to contribute UNICEF sponsoied school-programme US S 250,000 per year for three years.

The education programme is being and will be arranged in consultation with the Primary and Ma»Education Division of the Banj^Meshmovernment.

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