Despite growing demand for daycare centres among working families, the number of such facilities remains inadequate. The shortage has left many parents deeply concerned about their children’s safety while preventing the sector from realising its potential to create employment opportunities.
Entrepreneurs attribute the slow growth of daycare centres to unclear policies and operational challenges. There are no available statistics on the number of daycare centres operating in Dhaka or their overall capacity.
Many parents unable to afford private daycare fees are forced to leave their children under the care of domestic workers or, in some cases, alone at home for extended periods. This raises concerns over children’s safety and mental development.
Monthly fees at most private daycare centres in Dhaka range between Tk7,000 and Tk12,000, with some charging even higher amounts depending on location. Costs are particularly high for children below two years of age, as they require one-to-one care.
Entrepreneurs say expanding daycare facilities would not only ensure safer childcare but also create employment opportunities for caregivers, pre-school teachers, health workers and management professionals, particularly for women.
BISDHA Foundation provides training to daycare workers in the capital. Its Programme Director Tanzum Ara Polly told TIMES of Bangladesh that there is no clear approval mechanism specifically for daycare centres, with many institutions operating under licences obtained for schools or other organisations.
She said private daycare centres receive limited government support, while maintaining the policy requirement of one caregiver for every three children remains difficult in practice.
Parveen Akter, operational director of Caring Hands Daycare, said securing suitable rental spaces is one of the biggest challenges in running a daycare centre.
“Landlords do not want to rent buildings for daycare centres because of children’s crying, loud playing, constant movement of people or cooking activities. Even when suitable spaces are available, rents are often very high,” she said.
She added that the country still lacks clear guidelines for daycare operations and that centres are not separately approved as daycare facilities. She called for specific regulations determining the number of children that can be accommodated based on available space.
Entrepreneurs also highlighted the shortage of affordable training opportunities in the sector.
“Government training is needed on how to communicate with children and develop their social behaviour. Many entrepreneurs and caregivers cannot afford existing training courses,” Parveen said.
They also alleged that although government policy requires inspections every three months, monitoring remains limited in practice. As a result, low-quality centres continue to operate while genuine providers receive little support.
Titli, a representative of Mirpur-based Care Child Development, said some legal requirements are unrealistic for small entrepreneurs.
“A Tk10 lakh security deposit is a major barrier for small entrepreneurs,” she said.
She added that the sector receives no financial support from banks despite requiring substantial investment in infrastructure, trained staff, safety measures and other facilities.
“This is not a highly profitable business, but the responsibility is enormous. Why would a teacher with a master’s degree join this sector if they cannot be offered a good salary?” she said.
According to Titli, her centre currently has 15 to 16 children and 15 employees, combining school and daycare operations. It provides services from 7:30am to 7:30pm, with separate curricula and development reports for children aged between six months and 10 years.
Another major challenge for daycare operators is parents’ lack of trust. Tanzum Ara Polly said financially capable families often prefer hiring domestic workers due to concerns over illnesses spreading among children, transportation difficulties and personal comfort.
Government daycare centres, however, provide a different model with lower costs. A representative of the Lalmatia government daycare centre said it currently has 58 children, with a monthly fee of Tk1,200 for a three-year-old child, including three meals a day.
The centre has four caregivers, two security guards, one teacher, one health worker and one daycare officer.
Ripa, a parent who uses the Secretariat daycare centre, said she has kept her child there since the age of one.
“I can remain worry-free after leaving my child here,” she said.
However, she said her previous experience at AGB Daycare in Moghbazar was less satisfactory, as the late arrival of caregivers often delayed her departure for work.
Another parent said the fixed timings of government daycare centres create difficulties for working people, as most offices and daycare centres close at the same time.
“Then the question remains: how will working people keep their children here?” the parent asked.
