Govt moves to eliminate child labour by 2030: Labour secy

The government has initiated steps to formulate a national action plan to eliminate child labour from the country by 2030, said Dr Md Sanwar Jahan Bhuiyan, secretary at the Ministry of Labour and Employment, on Thursday.
"Eradication of child labour requires coordinated interventions -- particularly in hazardous sectors -- alongside strengthened labour inspections and effective social safety net programmes for vulnerable families," he added, according to a press release.
Highlighting poverty as the root cause, he noted that sustainable elimination is possible only when working children are brought under comprehensive social protection schemes.
Mr Bhuiyan was speaking at the closing session of a two-day residential training on "Safe Work for Youth and Child Labour" held in Rajendrapur, Gazipur. He stressed the importance of ensuring quality and standards in labour inspections to guarantee decent workplaces in Bangladesh.
Expressing optimism, he said labour inspectors are now more capable, vibrant, and efficient than before, and expressed confidence that the knowledge gained from the training would be applied effectively at workplace level.
The residential training was jointly organised by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) under the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

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