President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday called upon all concerned, including private organizations, media, national and international agencies alongside the government to play an effective role in making institutional and non-institutional sectors free from child labour.
They made the call in separate messages on the eve of the World Day against Child Labour.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) launched the first 'World Day Against Child Labour' in 2002 as a way to highlight the plight of children engaged in child labour. Observed on June 12th, the day is intended to serve as a catalyst for the growing worldwide movement against child labour, according to the website of ILO.
This year's theme of the day is 'Ensure education and protection of children, stop child labour (Shishur Shikkha O Surokkha Nishchit Kori, Shishu Sram Bondho Kori)', an official press release said.
In his message, President Mohammed Shahabuddin said Bangladesh is a ratifying country of the United Nations Charter on the rights of the child and the ILO Convention on hazardous child labour.
Eliminating child labor has been identified as one of the indicators for achieving SDG targets on economic growth, he said.
He added that a four-tier institutional structure has been prepared by forming committees at the national, departmental, district and upazila levels to eradicate child labour.
The head of the state hoped that the process of child labor removal from all institutional and non-institutional sectors will be speeded up gradually.
In a separate message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said today's child or teenager will be the main driving force of Bangladesh's development strategy in the future.
"Therefore, we should make our children suitable for a developed and prosperous country," she said.
She said the greatest Bangalee of all time, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1974 made the Children Act compulsory for the development and blossoming of children.
He upheld the rights of children in the constitution, she said, adding that following the footsteps of the Father of the Nation, the Awami League-led government has formulated the National Child Labour Elimination Policy 2010.
Besides, the National Children Policy-2011, Children Act-2013, Child Marriage Restraint Act-2017 and Domestic Workers Protection and Welfare Policy (DWPWP)-2015 have been formulated to ensure the development and protection of children, she continued.
National Action Plan 2021-25 has been formulated with the aim of freeing the country from all forms of child labor by 2025 to achieve the SDG targets, she said, adding that the National Child Labour Welfare Council is working to implement this action plan.
The premier added that education of all children must be ensured by eradicating child labour.
Sheikh Hasina called upon the government as well as private individuals and institutions, national and international organizations, development partners, research institutions, civil society and media to work together to prevent child labor and ensure welfare of children.
Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque
