The government has announced plans to leverage local and religious leadership to raise mass awareness and eliminate child labour at the grassroots level.
Speaking as the chief guest at a national discussion on Monday, Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury said child labour persists largely due to a lack of public awareness.
He assured stakeholders that the government would initiate more pilot projects and remains open to collaborative actions to ensure a greater impact.
“We have to work from the grassroots level,” Ariful added. “In this regard, we can leverage the support of local and religious leaders so that they can raise mass awareness to end child labour in Bangladesh”.
The event, held at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) under the theme “Red Card to Child Labour: Fair Play for Children, Decent Work for Adults,” was jointly organised by the Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE), the Child Labour Elimination Platform (CLEP), and the International Labour Organization (ILO).
Max Tunon, country director of ILO Bangladesh, attended as the special guest and stressed the necessity of a coordinated approach across government departments, development partners, and civil society. Similarly, Abdul Hamid, country director of Educo Bangladesh, highlighted the ongoing collaborative efforts of CLEP and the importance of a sector-based approach to the issue.
The programme, chaired by Md Abdur Rahman Tarafder, secretary of MoLE, included personal reflections from a child representative and cultural performances by children to underscore the urgency of the cause.
A concluding panel discussion on “Effective Steps and Shared Responsibilities” brought together representatives from the government, employers, and workers. All stakeholders ended the session with a renewed pledge to strengthen partnerships, ensuring every child in Bangladesh has access to quality education and a safe childhood.
