Step taken to withdraw 30,000 child workers from risky jobs
Monday, 7 July 2008
Adviser for LGRD and Cooperatives, and Labour and Employment M Anwarul Iqbal Sunday said the government has taken an initiative to withdraw 30,000 child workers from risky jobs and provide them with institutional education, reports BSS.
Besides families of the child workers will be given micro- credits to make them self-reliant, he said.
The adviser was addressing a press briefing after a tripartite meeting of government, owners and workers for finalising the national child labour elimination policy in the conference room of the Local Government Division in the city.
Secretary and Joint Secretary of the Labour and Employment Ministry Mahfuzul Haque and Mohammad Azizur Rahman, Secretary General of the Bangladesh Employers' Federation CK Haider, and representatives from government, owners and workers, among others, attended the meeting.
The adviser said the child labour elimination policy is being formulated for building the children as worthy citizens of the country providing them with proper education.
He said the policy would be placed before the council of advisers for final approval soon and a law would be formulated later as per the policy to eliminate child labour.
Referring to the goals of the child labour elimination policy, he said the main objectives of the policy were to build strategic structures, and take time-befitting short-term steps and long-term policy to root out all types of the child labour.
To achieve the goals, the adviser said the government along with BGMEA, BKMEA and BTMEA have already eliminated child labour from garment and textile sectors.
He also said now the government is identifying the risky sectors like shrimp farming, ship-breaking and bidi factories and steps are being taken to free the sectors of the child labour.
Besides families of the child workers will be given micro- credits to make them self-reliant, he said.
The adviser was addressing a press briefing after a tripartite meeting of government, owners and workers for finalising the national child labour elimination policy in the conference room of the Local Government Division in the city.
Secretary and Joint Secretary of the Labour and Employment Ministry Mahfuzul Haque and Mohammad Azizur Rahman, Secretary General of the Bangladesh Employers' Federation CK Haider, and representatives from government, owners and workers, among others, attended the meeting.
The adviser said the child labour elimination policy is being formulated for building the children as worthy citizens of the country providing them with proper education.
He said the policy would be placed before the council of advisers for final approval soon and a law would be formulated later as per the policy to eliminate child labour.
Referring to the goals of the child labour elimination policy, he said the main objectives of the policy were to build strategic structures, and take time-befitting short-term steps and long-term policy to root out all types of the child labour.
To achieve the goals, the adviser said the government along with BGMEA, BKMEA and BTMEA have already eliminated child labour from garment and textile sectors.
He also said now the government is identifying the risky sectors like shrimp farming, ship-breaking and bidi factories and steps are being taken to free the sectors of the child labour.