Why is child labour still rampant?
It is deeply frustrating that children continue to be employed in works that are not meant for them, many of which are hazardous. According to a recent report on child labour, children as young as eight years old are working at the Secondary Transfer Stations (STS)—where solid waste is temporarily stored before being moved to landfills—of both Dhaka South and North City Corporations. Many of these children have migrated from outside Dhaka, while others have been residing in the city's slums for years. These children have been driven to these waste management sites by poverty and lack of family and government support.
For instance, 18-year-old Raza began working at an STS in Ward-10 of DSCC when he was just eight years old, following his father's death. He never attended school. Thirteen-year-old Shadhin, driven by poverty, came from Sherpur to work at another STS. Instead of learning and playing, these children toil in rubbish fields, risking their health and sacrificing their futures. This is unacceptable. Engaging children in waste management is not just a breach of their rights, it also poses serious health risks. These children frequently suffer cuts from sharp, contaminated objects, exposing them to diseases like hepatitis B, HIV/AIDS, and chronic infections. Many endure malnutrition, respiratory problems, and skin diseases. The question is, why does child labour continue to persist? Why are 1.776 million children in the country still trapped in this?
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We have laws like the Labour Act 2006 and the National Child Labour Elimination Policy 2010, but they often remain unenforced. Some provisions of these policies are vague, and inadvertently enable child labour. For example, while the Labour Act sets the minimum employment age at 14, it allows children aged 12-14 to engage in "light work", if that does not affect their education and development. Moreover, the government has declared 38 sectors hazardous for children, banning employment of anyone under 18 in these fields. Yet, 1.068 million children are still working in these sectors, including welding, transportation, auto workshops, tobacco factories, battery recharging. Many more go uncounted, especially in informal sectors like waste management.
If we are truly committed to eradicating child labour, we must address the legal loopholes that allow it to persist and make its elimination a national priority. This means not only enforcing existing laws but also investing in children's education and empowering vulnerable families through robust social safety nets and livelihood support. No child should be forced to choose work over education.
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