Experts for expediting child labour eradication efforts

Development partners, rights groups and civil society organisations on Monday called for aligning compulsory education with the minimum employment age of 14 by extending free and compulsory education to class VIII to expedite child labour eradication efforts.
They also stressed the need for fair wages for workers saying low wages in most cases force families to send their children to work, even hazardous ones, to manage livelihoods.
Their other recommendations included implementation of laws and policies related to child labour, stronger coordination among the ministries of education, social welfare and labour and collaboration between the government and civil society and other related agencies.
The observations and suggestions were made at a programme marking the World Day Against Child Labour 2026, held at Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) in the city.
Held under the global theme, "Red Card to Child Labour: Fair Play for Children, Decent Work for Adults," the Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE), the Child Labour Elimination Platform (CLEP) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) jointly organised discussion sessions and a cultural programme.
Speaking at the event, Labour Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury said child labour should be eliminated from the country through practical and sustainable projects rather than seminars alone. He also emphasised that child labour elimination efforts should start from home.
He called on all local and foreign organisations working in this sector to identify the areas most prone to child labour and work together accordingly.
ILO Bangladesh country director Max Tunon said, "In line with ILO Convention138, keeping children in school remains one of the most effective ways to prevent child labour."
Emphasising the need for stronger links between child labour programmes and social protection for vulnerable families, he said social safety nets that support parents while ensuring children remain in school can help break that cycle of intergenerational poverty.
Stronger labour inspection with timely prosecution and enacting policies are also essential to deterring child labour and ensuring compliance with the law, he noted.
Presenting keynote paper, AKM Ashraf Uddin, executive director of the Bangladesh Labour Foundation, identified inadequate budget allocations and programmes for child labour elimination, the absence of a dedicated coordinating and monitoring authority, and poor inter-ministerial coordination due to the lack of focal points in ministries as major challenges.
He stressed the need for data-driven planning and evidence-based interventions and effective enforcement of existing laws and policies and adequate social protection for child labour eradication from all sectors.
Chaired by Labour Secretary Md Abdur Rahman Tarafder, the event was also addressed by Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed of the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies, Samajtantrik Sramik Front president Razequzzaman Ratan and Munira Sultana, child labour and safe work for youth specialist at ILO Bangladesh, among others.

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