Letters to the Editor
Eradication of child labour
Friday, 21 July 2023
Child labour is a nagging problem in our society. It is so deeply rooted that it cannot be eradicated overnight. A lot has been said and written on the plight of the children working on streets and in garages and factories, but all the hue and cry has fallen on deaf ears, and there has not even been an iota of change. Instead of being sent to school and enjoy their childhood, innocent children are forced to work and earn a living for their families -- something that is a stark violation of their basic rights. It is also injurious to their physical, emotional and mental health.
According to the media, more and more children have found themselves trapped in child labour in the post-Covid era. It is because the pandemic wreaked havoc on family incomes, and many parents pulled their children out of school and threw them into child labour. The number of children engaged in child labour in Bangladesh increased by 4.5 per cent in the last one decade to 1.77 million now from 1.68 million in 2013, according to the findings of the National Child Labour Survey 2022.
Childhood is a time for education that prepares children for the future. But many children of the developing world come from poor families and do not get enough opportunities to be enrolled with educational institutions and join the workforce at a tender age. They are forced to take backbreaking professions only to make sure that they get three square meals a day and a roof over their heads. Bangladesh has passed a law prohibiting child labour, but it cannot be stopped fully as we cannot ensure food and education for all these children. There is no denying the fact that extreme poverty is the reason behind child labour and once extreme poverty is eradicated, child labour will be automatically eliminated. Let us make our country a better place for our children and ensure that all of them get the opportunity for education in a congenial environment and to prove their worth and prosper.
Abu Elias Linkon,
Banasree, Dhaka,
lightening_sparkle@yahoo.com