The draft of national plan of action (NPA) to eliminate all forms of child labour within next five years is in its final stage.
However, the country is set to miss its target to eliminate worst forms of child labour within this year.
Sources said the final draft has been sent to the Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE) to take necessary steps for its adoption to end all forms of child labour by 2025.
This new target has been set engaging all concerned for Bangladesh's graduation from the least-developed country status, they added.
Official sources said though the number of child labour has been reduced significantly in the country, its total eradication was not possible for a lack of coordination of the activities.
Child labour is linked with poverty, rehabilitation, employment creation for family members and child education, they said, adding that NPA has tried to focus on these areas and set the new target.
After ratification of the ILO Convention 183 in March 2001, the government had taken the NPA on child labour from 2012 to 2021. Besides, it has incorporated child-labour issues, including age and identification of hazardous sectors, in the Labour Act.
According to a survey conducted in 2013, 1.7 million was identified as child labourers while 1.2 million were engaged in the worst forms of child labour in the country. Children work in 38 hazardous sectors in the country, it showed.
However, the MoLE claimed that child labour was totally eliminated from eight sectors as they were removed after working in four phases since 2002.
These sectors are tannery, exportable leather and footwear, ship-breaking, silk, ceramic, glass, pharmaceuticals and cold storage.
Earlier, readymade garment and shrimp processing unit were declared free from child labour.
A ministry official said the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) has been able to remove more child labour than the yearly target. Some 5,088 child labours were removed from risky industries in 2020. The similar target of eliminating 5,000 child labours has also been set for the current year.
"There is lack of information on the return of child labour to the risky work after they had lost their jobs as their engagement in the work is related to poverty," said DIFE deputy inspector general Mohammad Mustafizur Rahman.
He said the fresh NPA has been designed with the target to build the capacity of inspectors, locate the children and their rehabilitation, ensure heath safety and hold motivational meetings etc.
