Child labour curbed in last 10 years

The number of child labourers in Bangladesh has reduced to 2.48 million from 4.91 million in the last 10 years, according to studies of the Centre for Services and Information on Disability (CSID), a research-based organisation working to eliminate child labour.

In percentage, it was 5.73 in 2014 while in 2005 it was 12.23.

A two-member team, led by Mohammed Abu Eusuf, professor of Dhaka University's development studies department and director of its Centre on Budget and Policy, conducted the studies for CSID, calculating the data on Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) of different years.

The recent figures of male and female child labourers are respectively 2 million and 0.44 million smaller than the 2005 figures of 4.18 million and 0.74 million.

The statistics were presented yesterday during a meeting titled "National Budget Analysis on Assessment and Law Review Report: An Inclusive Approach to Empowering Working Children" organised by CSID at The Daily Star Centre with assistance from Australian Aid, and World Vision.

According to the studies, the incidence of child labour is still high in Bangladesh, and 42.9 percent of the total child labourers are engaged in hazardous activities.

Five percent of the child labourers are involved in selling flowers, newspaper and food items, 10 percent in transportation business, 20 percent in industries or shops, nine percent in workshops, 20 percent in tailor shops or boutique houses, while 14.7 percent work as domestic help and 21.3 percent work in unspecific sectors.

Chairman of the parliamentary caucus on child rights Mir Shawkat Ali Badsha chaired the meeting where lawmaker Kazi Rosy, Member of National Human Rights Commission Kazi Reazul Haque, and CSID's Executive Director Khandaker Jahurul Alam spoke.