HOME

 

Stop Child Labour : Look after these Children

Muhammad Shamim Akhter, 4 April, 2011:

Childhood is a tougher stage of a human life. So Children are very sensitive. Any misguidance and maltreatment may tribute to a stern corollary to their mind set up. Any amputation to their soft hearts may, eventually, generate to various predicaments not only in their personal lives, it makes various impacts on their families, societies and state at large.

As a result, modern state like Bangladesh has emphasized on the soundly exposure of the personality of a child. In order to be assimilated in the society, they have been offered education free of cost; even it has been given so importance that education for the children has been made mandatory. Its aim is, in turn, to make the children nationalized. Nationalized in the sense they should nourish such a sense of adaptation which may facilitate to their equitable accessibility to the national resources and their responsible interaction with the state, particularly with Bangladesh . A responsible and productive feed back of the children shall be fulfilled once they will be matured and responsible.

Education through conventional schooling as well as Madrasa system has been provided to the children in Bangladesh . Along with public schools, many private schools and traditional Maktob and Madrasa have been sheltering lots of able and incapable children for last hundreds years. Although during English rule, Maktob and Madrasha have been disintegrated, it has again revived since 1947 when we were liberated.

Many laws in relation to the interest of children have been made so that they may be provided to shelter, education and may be given a opportunity so that they may not be exploited by the hands of vested groups. To look after the children, a separate Ministry has been set up which deals with woman and children and a huge amount of money from the national income and other international donations are spent in this regard. We may conclude briefly that the state and general mass are committed and liable to treat differently with the children.

Unfortunately Bangladeshmoves has found out many children in the street of Dhaka city who have been employed by a few newspapers to sell their papers at various bus stops being faced tremendous trauma. The recruitment of The Daily Bangladesh Protidin, Daily Amader Shomoy and Daily Aparth Chontho has been confirmed.

Our investigation has confirmed that during the school hour, they are recruited to sell papers. At Pallabi, Mirpur, Farmgate, Agargoan, Shahbag, their presence has been ascertained, however, many claimed that children are recruited for selling newspapers not only in Dhaka , it is done in different parts of country. Investigation has also revealed that each boy is paid 50 taka by selling 100 pcs of newspaper which tempts to leave school and get touched with heavy risky job. They get on semi-speeding bus to sell papers which are very risky and certainly it is an illegal task, particularly who recruits.

In support of the report, photographs of the child have been published which do not suggest that they are guilty, rather it could be worthy mentionable that they are innocent and they should be provided various assistance from the authority as well as from other social organizations and individuals thus their parents may be established and they may afford food, medication and shelter for their children. Another social disease has been revealed from the society where children's parents use their children to beg alms. Any impaired child they give birth think of a bless and employ to beg alms. One boy named by Hasan at section -12, Block –B, is seen at Sangsad Bhaban area where his mother brings his to beg alms. Another girl having amputated leg is often found at Purobi and Pallabi bus stand. When they are in service, their mothers stay far off and once begging is finished they are taken. It is also pathetic and illegal by our law. Children Act-1974 has banned such course of action. In 2007 I talked one Principal officer of concerning with Vagabond told me that in order to place these beggars in different parts of the city, a strong syndicate, managed by high level lobby is operative. When I went to the Department of Social Welfare at Agargaon then, I was pleased with that they provided dozens of literatures. Later I knew that a study was being conducted to single out beggars including the children. However, the study has been halted and the number of beggar is increasing day by day. Even some complained that new social welfare organizations have been stopped to get a fresh registration. As a result the number of destitute has been increasing and resulted by lots of children are seen in the street selling papers when we see lots of commitment in the meeting arranged under air-conditioned room.

We also know that Ministry of Industries has also a wing which scrutinizes the presence of children labour in the industries. If they had any action in this regard, children could have been saved from exploited by the vested quarters. The newspaper industry is committed to uphold the human rights watchdog. Without campaigning to be rehabilitated these children such recruitments could be discouraged and we must say it is undesirable.

To sum, we request to the concerned departments to take realistic actions so that the parents of the children which has been confirmed shall be supported and thus children may be provided education for facing challenge in future by their parents. Building a responsible family empowering the adult family members, and checking any abusive and exploitive tendency from the adult family members towards the children, may protect the children and help to be grown up in a friendly atmosphere.

Case Study :

1.

.

Name : Meena

Age : 5-6 years.

Spot : I found this innocent and helpless girl child selling safety pin in front of Hat bazar Departmental Store at Dhanmondi at about 5 PM months back.

Circumstance: Her mother allowed her to sell safety pins to the passengers . I bought a bunch of safety pin from her by 10 taka. Her mother was standing by the road. I asked her mother why such a little girl was pushed at the road, she excused of poverty. They lived at Jigatola area, her mother added.

2.

Name : Unknown

Age : 5-6 years.

Spot : I found him on board a BRTC Bus when I was returning from farmgate at 8:30 AM on 3 April 2011.

Circumstance: He was selling newspaper - Daily Bangladesh Protidin in a BRTC bus bound towards Pallabi from Motijheel. He was getting on bus under very risky condition and a severe accident might happen in his life at any time.

3.

Name : Unknown

Age : 7 years.

Spot : I found this innocent and helpless boy selling news paper in front of Anik Plaza at Pallabi Bus Stand under Pallabi Police Station at 8 AM on 1st April, 2011

Circumstance: He was selling newspaper to the passengers coming from D-Block of Mirpur-12 under Pallabi PS. As soon as the tempo was returning, he was getting on under very risky condition. Various types of vehicles from opposite side might stampede him, if he became indifferent.

4.

Name : Unknown

Age : 7 years.

Spot : I found this innocent and helpless boy selling news paper in front HSBC Bank at Purobi Bus stand under Pallabi Police Station at 8 -30 AM within last two weeks (Base date 4 April, 2011).

Circumstance: He was selling news paper to the passengers at Purobi bus stand under Pallabi PS. As soon as the bus was coming from Pallabi he was hurriedly getting on the buses. Since various types of vehicles of various speed limit, these boys have maximum possibilities to be stampede. Hence it is a very risky job.

5.

Name : Unknown

Age : 5- 7 years.

Spot : I found these innocent and helpless boys selling news paper at Purobi Bus stand under Pallabi Police Station at 8 -30 AM on 26 March, 2011.

Circumstance: They were selling newspaper to the passengers at Purobi bus stand under Pallabi PS. As soon as the bus came from Pallabi they hurriedly got on the buses. Since various types of vehicles of various speed limit moves there, it is therefore, mentioned that there is a maximum possibility to be stampede or faced to any kind of trauma which corroborates to his inclination to risky job.

6.

Name : Unknown

Age : 5- 7 years.

Spot : I found these innocent and helpless girl beging alms at at Purobi and Pallabi bus stand under Pallabi Police Station every now and then

Circumstance: One of leg of this girl is impaired. She could be sought shelter, education from his parent as well as from the concerned Department of the Government of Bangladesh. However, she got nothing and I saw her mother standing a far off, while she was begging. She has become the tool of earning by her mother while she could do any job since I saw her sound.

7.

Name : Unknown

Age : 5- 7 years.

Spot : I found this innocent and helpless boys preparing Puratha in a restaurent very close to First Security Islami Bank at Dilkhusa in Dhaka nearly three months ago from the date the report has been prepared.

Circumstance: He was seen to make bread or Puratha on a hot oven under very risky enviornment.

 

 

More case, coming soon