Rights activists at a meeting on Thursday called for eliminating child labour from the apparel sector to ensure child rights in the country.
They also stressed the need for rehabilitation of around 20,000 most vulnerable children, who are under their 14 years of age and working at readymade garment (RMG) factories in Keraniganj area of Dhaka.
They urged the government, the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and non-government organisations (NGOs) to extend their helping hands to rehabilitate the children.
Bangladesh Labour Foundation (BLF) organised the view-exchange meeting titled 'The role of journalists to implement the government approved work plans to eradicate child labour from Keraniganj local RMG sector' at its head office in the capital.
Representatives from the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE), Bangladesh Labour Rights Journalists Forum (BLRJF) and trade bodies took part in the meeting.
The meeting was told that the government must eradicate the child labour by 2025 to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
As there are more than 20,000 child labourers in the Keraniganj factories, the government should pay concentration to rehabilitate them, said the speakers.
Chaired by BLF President Abdus Salam Khan, Assistant Inspector General (Health) of DIFE Dr Dipa Datta, BLF Secretary General ZM Kamrul Anam, President of BLRJF Kazi Abdul Hannan, and its General Secretary Ataur Rahman spoke, among others, in the meeting.
