Children to be kept out of risky jobs

Speakers at a views-exchange meeting here on Monday underscored the need for stopping children from engaging in hazardous and risky jobs and ensuring equal rights to underprivileged children.
Action for Social Development, a non-governmental organisation, arranged the programme in association with Bread for the World, Germany at CIRDAP auditorium in the city.
Women and children affairs secretary Nasima Begum, ICT division secretary Shyam Sundar Shikder, Bangladesh Shishu Academy director Mosharraf Hossain, Shishu Odhikar Forum director Abdus Shahid Mahmud and Jatiya Konna Shishu Advocacy Forum secretary Nasima Akhter Jolly, among others, spoke at the progrmme held with ASD executive director Zamil H Chowdhury in the chair.
ASD deputy executive director Mozammel Haque presented the keynote paper at the programme.
In his keynote presentation, Mozammel Haque said there are over 40 lakh children involved in household chores who work 15 hours on average a day which is very risky and dangerous for them. ‘But the amount of money they get in return of their labour is very poor as Bangladesh’s labour law does not recognise household work as a profession.’
He also said some 12 lakh children who pass their lives in slums, streets, parks, bus stands, train stations and other open places are deprived of their access to minimum rights.
Noting that the underprivileged children who live in slums and streets get involved in various crimes, including drug peddling and arms dealing, the ASD deputy director called for stopping child labour and ensuring education, nutrition and rehabilitation for these children.
Nasima Akhter urged both the government and NGOs to devise alternative solutions for the working children so that they can continue to support their families.

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