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Nat'l policy on elimination of child labour within month

Labour secretary tells seminar

Staff Correspondent
Ilie government will finalise the national policy on elimination of child labour within a month, said Labour and Employment Secretary Dr Mahfuzul Haque at a seminar yesterday.
"We have nearly completed the works to finalise the national policy on elimination of child labour. It would have been better if we could announce the policy on June 12, the international day to prevent child labour, but we will do this within one month,” he added.
The national seminar titled 'Elimination of the worst form of child labour: Role of the government and civil society' was organised by Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum (BSAF) at the Biam auditorium in the city.
Speaking as chief guest, the secretary said the policy would be a guideline on eliminating child labour, and it would be modified phase by phase after holding talks with the stakeholders.
He called for series of talks between the government and the NGOs working on the issue and other stakeholders in eliminating child labour and formulating an action plan for it.. \ , >
He said the government along I
with the Dhaka City Corporation has undertaken a project to eliminate hazardous child labour.
The secretary said following allegations from the West, the labour ministry was monitoring the shrimp farming sector and found that child labour was minimum in the region now.
Prof Ridwanul Hoque of Dhaka University in his keynote paper said Bangladesh has some obligations to take steps on eliminating the worst form of child labour as it had ratified the ILO Convention 182 that says children should be removed from the worst form of child labour.
According to ILO Convention, jobs that are likely to harm health, safety and morals are considered as the worst form of child labour
Prof Ridwanul said around 6.5 million children of the country are engaged in work and of them about 20 percent are engaged in hazardous work.
The children's workforce represents 16.6 percent of the total workforce in the country, he added.
Speaking as special guest Executive Director of Manusher Jonno Foundation Shaheen Anam said, “We must change our mindset about the children and develop a sympathetic attitudes towardsthem.”
She stressed the need for creating a child-friendly environment in the family, society as well as at the policy makinglevel.
"Child labour in our society is so much accepted that we do not even feel its existence,” she added.
About the domestic helps, Shaheen Anam said the social welfare ministry could visit different houses to see their working environments and provide them with ID cards.
"We must pledge that we should protect the rights of the children, nurture them with care and let them flourish in life," she added.
She also called for proper rehabilitation of child labourers before removing them from their jobs as they contribute to their family income.
The speakers urged the authorities to set a specific definition of the worst form of child labour and work on the issues that directly force the children to undertake hazardous jobs.
Executive Director of Uddipon Mohammad Emranul Haque and UST Chairperson spoke as panel discussants.
Dr Mahmudul Kabir spoke as special guest at the seminar presided over by BSAf Chairperson Wahida Banu.