Child labour issue deserves our highest attention

Child labour is an issue which should be addressed with all sincerity and earnestness. It is sad to see children working hard when they are supposed to be class rooms or playgrounds. In our country, the child labour is common. Even in capital Dhaka we see the children working in physically strenuous and dangerous jobs. We can easily imagine what could be going on elsewhere in our country. Around 5 million children of our country are engaged as child labour. We must stop this cruelty against children. The world should come forward and help these children to have a better childhood so that they too can grow up as worthy citizens. We need to undertake a concrete plan to eradicate corruption from the society as corruption is behind forcing our children to work. Bangladesh looks likely to miss the deadline for removing child labour by 2015. But every year we observe the international day on child labour recently. This year was no exception. What is noticeable is a lack of willingness to solve this problem by the government as well as the society at large. It is high time we embark upon a fight against child labour and ensure a better future for the poor children.

Mohammed Sohel Hara

Bonoshree, Dhaka