2019 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor: Bangladesh

Bangladesh

MODERATE ADVANCEMENT

2019 FINDINGS ON THE WORST FORMS OF CHILD LABOR

In 2019, Bangladesh made a moderate advancement in

efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor. The

government acceded to the Palermo Protocol on Trafficking

in Persons and, through its programs in 2019, removed

over 1,000 working children from 558 factories, provided

education for 1,254 street children, and rehabilitated 3,501

children. Since 2017, government programs have removed

90,000 children from hazardous labor conditions, and over

35,000 children from exploitative work. Within 15 ministries

responsible for children in some way, the government of

Bangladesh increased its spending on children by 17 percent

between the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 fiscal years.

However, children in Bangladesh engage in the worst forms

of child labor, including forced child labor in the production of

dried fish and bricks. Children also perform dangerous tasks

in garment and leather goods supply chains. Moreover, the

Bangladesh Labor Act does not apply to the informal sector,

where most child labor in Bangladesh occurs, and hazardous

work prohibitions are not comprehensive. Additionally, labor

inspectors are not authorized to assess penalties and, when

courts do impose them, the fines are too low to deter child

labor law violations.

I. PREVALENCE AND SECTORAL DISTRIBUTION OF CHILD LABOR

Children in Bangladesh engage in the worst forms of child labor, including forced child labor in the production

of dried fish and bricks. (1,2) Children also perform dangerous tasks in the production of garments and leather

goods. (2-5) Table 1 provides key indicators on children’s work and education in Bangladesh.

Table 1. Statistics on Children’s Work and

Education

Children Age Percent

Working (% and population) 5 to 14 4.3 (1,326,411)

Attending School (%) 5 to 14 89.4

Combining Work and School (%) 7 to 14 1.9

Primary Completion Rate (%) N/A 67.8

Source for primary completion rate: Data from 2010, published by UNESCO

Institute for Statistics, 2020. (6)

Source for all other data: International Labor Organization’s analysis of statistics

from Labour Force Survey (LFS), 2013. (7)

Based on a review of available information, Table 2 provides an overview of children’s work by sector and activity.

Table 2. Overview of Children’s Work by Sector and Activity

Sector/Industry Activity

Agriculture Harvesting and processing crops, including tobacco, raising poultry, grazing cattle, and harvesting tea leaves (2,8-12)

Fishing and drying and processing fish (1,2,8,10,11,13-15)

Harvesting and processing shrimp (2,11)

Industry Producing garments, textiles, and jute textiles (16-22)

Producing leather,† leather goods, and footwear† (2,23-30)

Figure 1. Working Children by Sector, Ages 5-14

Agriculture

39.7%

Services

30.9%

Industry

29.4%

Bangladesh

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2019 FINDINGS ON THE WORST FORMS OF CHILD LABOR

Sector/Industry Activity

Industry Manufacturing bricks,† glass,† hand-rolled cigarettes (bidis),† matches,† soap,† furniture (steel),† aluminum products,†

and metal products (2,8,11,31-35)

Ship breaking† and battery recycling† (2,29,36-38)

Construction† and breaking bricks† and stones† (8,10,11)

Services Domestic work (2,10,11,14,39-42)

Garbage sorting and recycling (43)

Working in transportation, including ticket tacking, welding, pulling rickshaws, driving, and repairing

automobiles† (2,8,10,14,25,42-45)

Working in tea shops and retail shops (8,10,14)

Categorical Worst

Forms of Child

Labor‡

Use in illicit activities, including smuggling and selling drugs (2,11,46,47)

Forced begging (2,14,46)

Forced labor in the drying of fish and the production of bricks (1,2,13-15)

Commercial sexual exploitation, sometimes as a result of human trafficking (2,14,48-51)

Forced domestic work, sometimes as a result of human trafficking (2,10,11,14,46,52,53)

† Determined by national law or regulation as hazardous and, as such, relevant to Article 3(d) of ILO C. 182.

‡ Child labor understood as the worst forms of child labor per se under Article 3(a)–(c) of ILO C. 182.

The prevalence of child labor in Bangladesh’s formal sector has decreased as Bangladesh’s economy has grown.

The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics estimates that there are 1.28 million children working in hazardous

sectors. (111) The government of Bangladesh declared the formal garment sector and shrimp sector are free

from child labor, but acknowledge additional resources are required to address child labor in all sectors. (111)

However, many children in Bangladesh engage in dangerous work in informal manufacturing sectors and the

dried fish industry. (2-5,13,39) According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, over 85% of the economy is

informal. (43) In the dried fish industry, children work all day without protective gear and are exposed to the

insecticide DDT, salt, and the sun. (13) In the shipbreaking sector, children are exposed to toxic materials such as

asbestos and work in dangerous conditions without personal protective equipment, and often at night. (38) The

few older children who still work in tanneries lack protective equipment and experience continuous exposure

to heavy metals, formaldehyde, and other hazardous substances. (3,4) Children working in informal garment

production work as many as 16 hours a day and often carry heavy loads, use hazardous machinery, and handle

chemicals without protective equipment. (16,27)

Reports of violence against child workers in various sectors, including in domestic work, have also been

documented. (2,21,42,54,55) In 2018, a survey by an international organization found more than 400,000 children

in domestic work in Bangladesh. Across Bangladesh, street children are coerced into criminality or forced to beg,

and begging ringmasters sometimes maim children to increase earnings. (43) Children are forced, especially in

border areas, to produce and transport drugs, especially “yaba” tablets (methamphetamine). (56)

Nearly 400,000 Rohingya children are living in refugee camps in Bangladesh following the Burmese military’s

ethnic cleansing operations in 2017. Children residing in the camps are vulnerable to commercial sexual

exploitation and forced labor. (14,46,57-59) Rohingya girls are trafficked from the refugee camps for commercial

sexual exploitation in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal. In some cases, girls are promised jobs in domestic service

but are instead forced into commercial sexual exploitation. (14,28) Foreigners create demand for child sex

tourism, including exploitation of Rohingya girls near Cox’s Bazar. (56) Some girls are forced into domestic

service, sometimes as a result of human trafficking, and are abused by their employers. (46,52,53) Rohingya

children recruited to work outside the refugee camps are reported to be underpaid or unpaid, unable to

communicate with their families, and subjected to excessive working hours. (46,60) Rohingya boys typically work

in construction, fishing, and shops. (14,53) Rohingya children are further sold into bonded labor in the fish drying

industry by their parents, primarily in the city of Cox’s Bazar. Bonded laborers work to pay off their parents’ debt

over a nine month fishing season. (14,15)

Table 2. Overview of Children’s Work by Sector and Activity (Cont.)

Bangladesh

MODERATE ADVANCEMENT

2019 FINDINGS ON THE WORST FORMS OF CHILD LABOR

Children throughout Bangladesh are sexually exploited through the country’s legal and illegal brothels, and child

commercial sexual exploitation remained widespread. False promises of work are used to lure poor women

and children into sex trafficking and fabricate exorbitant debts the women, and girls as young as 10, must work

to repay. (56) Children fleeing abusive child marriages are especially vulnerable to being sold to brothels for

commercial sexual exploitation. Some children of sex workers are put to work in brothels and made to take

steroids to appear older. (56)

Although the 2010 National Education Policy raised the age of compulsory education from fifth grade (age 10)

to eighth grade (age 14), the new compulsory education scheme is not enforceable until the legal framework is

amended to reflect the revised policy. (61) In order to accommodate the larger number of students receiving

compulsory education, Bangladesh is building new schools to accommodate students. In the 2018-2019 fiscal

year, Bangladesh upgraded 764 schools, constructed 77 new schools, built 10,039 classrooms, installed sanitation

facilities in 2,920 schools, and installed tube wells in 750 schools. (43) While poverty was the most common

reason children did not attend school, as 31% of families depend on child labor for needed additional income,

inadequate access to education remains a concern. (43)

While Rohingya refugee children are not permitted to attend school in Bangladesh, including in private

educational institutions, due to their lack of documentation, the government has permitted international

organizations, such as UNICEF, UNESCO, and UNHCR, to provide some basic education services to primary

school-aged Rohingya children, and hundreds of learning centers were created. (43,62,63) According to UNICEF,

90 percent of children aged 4 to 14 years in the refugee camps have access to learning centers and non-formal

education. However, aid groups are barred from teaching the Bangla language, using Bangladesh’s educational

curriculum, and providing accredited education to refugees. (43) In 2019, the government of Bangladesh agreed

to allow international partners to implement the Myanmar Curriculum Pilot. The pilot, scheduled to start in 2020

with 10,000 children, would allow children to follow Burma’s educational curriculum with the goal of preparing

for their return in the future. The pilot will teach children the Burmese language, which they are not allowed

to learn in Burma/Myanmar. (43) Limited access to education makes refugee children more vulnerable to labor

exploitation. (2,64)

II. LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR CHILD LABOR

Bangladesh has ratified most key international conventions concerning child labor (Table 3).

Table 3. Ratification of International Conventions on Child Labor

Convention Ratification

ILO C. 138, Minimum Age

ILO C. 182, Worst Forms of Child Labor

UN CRC

UN CRC Optional Protocol on Armed Conflict

UN CRC Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child

Pornography

Palermo Protocol on Trafficking in Persons

In 2019, the government acceded to the Palermo Protocol on Trafficking in Persons. (65)

The government has established laws and regulations related to child labor (Table 4). However, gaps exist in

Bangladesh’s legal framework to adequately protect children from the worst forms of child labor, including the

minimum age for work.

Bangladesh

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2019 FINDINGS ON THE WORST FORMS OF CHILD LABOR

Table 4. Laws and Regulations on Child Labor

Standard

Meets

International

Standards

Age Legislation

Minimum Age for Work No 14 Section 34 of the Bangladesh Labor Act (66)

Minimum Age for Hazardous Work Ye s 18 Sections 39–42 of the Bangladesh Labor Act (66)

Identification of Hazardous Occupations or

Activities Prohibited for Children

Ye s N/A Sections 39–42 of the Bangladesh Labor Act; Statutory Regulatory

Order Number 65 (66,67)

Prohibition of Forced Labor Ye s N/A Sections 370 and 374 of the Penal Code; Sections 3, 6, and 9 of the

Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act (68,69)

Prohibition of Child Trafficking Ye s N/A Sections 3 and 6 of the Prevention and Suppression of Human

Trafficking Act; Section 6 of the Suppression of Violence Against

Women and Children Act (69,70)

Prohibition of Commercial Sexual

Exploitation of Children

No N/A Sections 372–373 of the Penal Code; Sections 78 and 80 of the

Children’s Act; Sections 3 and 6 of the Prevention and Suppression

of Human Trafficking Act; Section 8 of the Pornography Control

Act (68,69,71,72)

Prohibition of Using Children in Illicit

Activities

No N/A Section 79 of the Children’s Act (71)

Minimum Age for Voluntary State Military

Recruitment

No 16 Army and Air Force Regulations titles unknown (112,113,114)

Prohibition of Compulsory Recruitment of

Children by (State) Military

N/A* N/A N/A

Prohibition of Military Recruitment by Non-

state Armed Groups

No N/A Article 38 of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of

Bangladesh (74)

Compulsory Education Age No 10

Section 2 of the Primary Education (Compulsory) Act (73)

Free Public Education Ye s N/A Article 17 of the Constitution (74)

* No conscription (75)

Minimum age protections in the Bangladesh Labor Act do not cover children working in the informal sector,

where most child labor in Bangladesh occurs, which includes domestic work, street work, and work on small

agricultural farms. (66,76,77) In addition, the types of hazardous work prohibited for children do not cover

garment production and drying fish; both are areas of work in which there is evidence that children work in

unsafe and unhealthy environments for long periods of time. (1,2,5,13,67)

Bangladesh prohibits, but does not criminalize, the use of children in pornographic performances and in the

production of drugs. (69,71,78) Sources indicate that the minimum age for recruitment in the Army is 17 and

requires parental consent in addition to birth documents verifying age. (113) Army recruitment and training

take one year, ensuring that recruits reach the age of 18 before entering regular duty. (112) The minimum age

for recruitment in the Air Force is 16. (114) However, there are no laws that set the minimum age of voluntary

recruitment by the state armed forces. Additionally, although the Constitution prohibits the formation of non-

state armed groups, the legal framework does not criminally prohibit the recruitment of children by non-state

armed groups. (74,79)

III. ENFORCEMENT OF LAWS ON CHILD LABOR

The government has established institutional mechanisms for the enforcement of laws and regulations on child

labor (Table 5). However, gaps exist within the operations of the Department of Inspection for Factories and

Establishments (DIFE) that may hinder adequate enforcement of their child labor laws.

Bangladesh

MODERATE ADVANCEMENT

2019 FINDINGS ON THE WORST FORMS OF CHILD LABOR

Table 5.

Agencies Responsible for Child Labor Law Enforcement

Organization/Agency Role

Department of Inspection for

Factories and Establishments (DIFE)

Enforces labor laws, including those relating to child labor and hazardous work. (80) DIFE is within

the Ministry of Labor and Employment (MOLE). (81)

Bangladesh Police Enforce Penal Code provisions protecting children from forced labor and commercial sexual

exploitation. (2) In the case of the Trafficking in Persons Monitoring Cell, investigates cases of human

trafficking and enforces the Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act’s anti-trafficking

provisions. (82)

Bangladesh Labor Court Prosecutes labor law violations, including those related to child labor, and imposes fines or sanctions

against employers. (83) In 2019, Bangladesh established three new labor courts. (43)

Child Protection Networks Responds to violations against children, including child labor. Comprised of officials from various

agencies with mandates to protect children, prosecute violations, monitor interventions, and

develop referral mechanisms at the district and sub-district levels between law enforcement and

social welfare services. (77) Reporting indicates that Child Protection Networks, intended to be a

referral mechanism between law enforcement and social services, are not operating due to a lack of

funds. (84)

Labor Law Enforcement

In 2019, labor law enforcement agencies in Bangladesh took actions to combat child labor (Table 6).

However,

gaps exist within the operations of the Department of Inspections for Factories and Establishments

that may hinder adequate labor law enforcement, including a shortage of inspectors.

Table 6. Labor Law Enforcement Efforts Related to Child Labor

Overview of Labor Law Enforcement 2018 2019

Labor Inspectorate Funding $3,700,000 (85) $4,140,000 (85)

Number of Labor Inspectors 319 (85) 302 (85)

Inspectorate Authorized to Assess Penalties No (83) No (2)

Initial Training for New Labor Inspectors Yes (76) Yes (2)

Training on New Laws Related to Child Labor Yes (86) N/A

Refresher Courses Provided

Yes (85) Yes (85)

Number of Labor Inspections Conducted 42,866 (85) 42,703 (85)

Number Conducted at Worksite 42,866 (86) 42,703 (85)

Number of Child Labor Violations Found 1,234 (86) 1,426 (85)

Number of Child Labor Violations for Which Penalties Were Imposed 16 (84) 42 (85)

Number of Child Labor Penalties Imposed that Were Collected 16 (85) 42 (85)

Routine Inspections Conducted Unknown (76) Yes (85)

Routine Inspections Targeted Yes (76) Yes (85)

Unannounced Inspections Permitted Yes (76) Yes (85)

Unannounced Inspections Conducted Yes (76) Yes (85)

Complaint Mechanism Exists Yes (76) Yes (2)

Reciprocal Referral Mechanism Exists Between Labor Authorities and Social Services No (76) Yes (43)

The Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) only conducts labor inspections in the

formal sector according to an inspection road map and plan. In addition to normal inspections, labor inspectors

are authorized to conduct special visits for a number of reasons, including suspected child labor and night

work. (85) In 2019, DIFE removed 1,021 working children from 558 factories. (85) However, it is reported

that children are moved to night shifts to evade inspectors, indicating that the frequency of night inspections is

insufficient. (38) DIFE also lacks the authorization to impose penalties and conduct unannounced inspections in

Bangladesh’s Export Processing Zones. (43) In addition, the current penalty of $63 for a child labor law violation

and the low rate of penalties imposed is inadequate to act as a deterrent. (77)

The number of labor inspectors is likely insufficient for the size of Bangladesh’s workforce, which includes

more than 66 million workers. According to the ILO’s technical advice of a ratio approaching 1 inspector

Bangladesh

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2019 FINDINGS ON THE WORST FORMS OF CHILD LABOR

for every 40,000 workers in less developed economies, Bangladesh would employ about 1,666 labor

inspectors. (2,87-89) Reports indicate that DIFE is insufficiently funded and has not filled its 575 approved labor

inspector positions. (90) Additionally, recruitment of inspectors suffers from a lack of incentives to join the

department. (43)

Criminal Law Enforcement

In 2019, criminal law enforcement agencies in Bangladesh took actions to combat child labor (Table 7).

However, gaps exist within the operations of the Bangladesh Police that may hinder adequate criminal law

enforcement, including insufficient funding.

Table 7. Criminal Law Enforcement Efforts Related to Child Labor

Overview of Criminal Law Enforcement 2018 2019

Initial Training for New Criminal Investigators Yes (76) Yes (2)

Training on New Laws Related to the Worst Forms of Child Labor N/A N/A

Refresher Courses Provided

Yes (76) Yes (85)

Number of Investigations Unknown (76) Unknown (2)

Number of Violations Found Unknown (76) Unknown (2)

Number of Prosecutions Initiated Unknown (76) Unknown (2)

Number of Convictions Unknown (76) Unknown (2)

Imposed Penalties for Violations Related to The Worst Forms of Child Labor Unknown (86,91) Unknown (2)

Reciprocal Referral Mechanism Exists Between Criminal Authorities and Social Services Unknown (76) Yes (43)

In 2019, the Bangladesh Army and Rapid Action Battalion were deployed to assist in identifying and investigating

violations related to the possible trafficking of Rohingya refugees, a population with children vulnerable to

child labor and commercial sexual exploitation. (14,91,92) However, sources indicate that some border guards,

police, and military members are involved in facilitating the trafficking of children, including into prostitution. In

registered brothels, some police accepted bribes to not check documentation that workers were older than

18 and to procure falsified documents for workers, some as young as ten years old. (56) In particular, in 2018

two border guards were accused of raping two girls after they refused to engage in commercial sex while a

third border guard stood watch. (56,110) The guards’ commanding officer dismissed the allegations as “rumors”

and NGO personnel were prevented from visiting the girls in the hospital. (14) In January 2019, Rapid Action

Battalion units arrested an Armed Police Battalion officer on charges of forcing two 12-year old girls into

prostitution. (14,50) However, the government subsequently denied the case. (56)

Border guards, police, and coast guards received training during the reporting period. In addition, new police

posts were established. (85) However, the Trafficking in Persons Monitoring Cell reportedly lacks the necessary

funds and staff to adequately address cases of child trafficking. (93) Reporting also indicates that Child Protection

Networks, intended to be a referral mechanism between law enforcement and social services, are not operating

due to a lack of funds. (84) The government also did not provide information on the number of investigations,

violations found, prosecutions initiated, convictions, or penalties imposed for violations related to the worst

forms of child labor for inclusion in this report.

IV. COORDINATION OF GOVERNMENT EFFORTS ON CHILD LABOR

The government has established mechanisms to coordinate its efforts to address child labor (Table 8). However,

gaps exist that hinder the effective coordination of efforts to address child labor, including a lack of coordination

among agencies.

Bangladesh

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2019 FINDINGS ON THE WORST FORMS OF CHILD LABOR

Table 8. Key Mechanisms to Coordinate Government Efforts on Child Labor

Coordinating Body Role & Description

National Child Labor

Welfare Council

Coordinates efforts undertaken by the government to guide, coordinate, and monitor the implementation of

the National Plan of Action on the Elimination of Child Labor. Chaired by MOLE, it is comprised of officials

representing relevant government ministries, international organizations, child advocacy groups, and employer and

worker organizations. (94) In 2019, organized meetings at the divisional, district, and sub-district levels. (85)

Counter-Trafficking

National Coordination

Committee, Ministry of

Home Affairs (MOHA)

Coordinates the work of government agencies and international and local NGOs on international and domestic

human trafficking, including child trafficking, through bimonthly meetings. (82) Oversees district counter-

trafficking committees, which manage counter-trafficking committees for sub-districts and smaller administrative

units. (82) In 2019, some of the 555 district and sub-district level counter-trafficking committees allocated funding

for coordination and victim support while others did not function. (14)

Rescue, Recovery,

Repatriation, and

Integration Task Force,

MOHA

Coordinates efforts by the governments of Bangladesh and India to rescue, recover, repatriate, and reintegrate

victims of human trafficking, particularly women and children, between the two countries. Liaises with

various ministries, government departments, NGOs, and international organizations that assist trafficked

children. (14,60,95) In 2019, the task force repatriated over 100 Bangladeshi nationals. (96) However, the

government lacks the capacity to track its citizens abroad, case management systems have not been developed,

and the process to repatriate human trafficking victims is lengthy. (95,96)

V. GOVERNMENT POLICIES ON CHILD LABOR

The government has established policies related to child labor (Table 9). However, policy gaps exist that hinder

efforts to address child labor, including mainstreaming child labor issues into relevant policies.

Table 9. Key Policies Related to Child Labor

Policy Description

National Plan of Action on

the Elimination of Child

Labor (2012–2021)

Identifies strategies for developing institutional capacity, increasing access to education and health services, raising

social awareness, strengthening law enforcement, and creating prevention and reintegration programs. (64) In

2019, the MOLE formed a National Child Labor Monitoring Core Committee. The Committee makes regular

visits to sectors with a high risk for child labor and educates the employers on not using child labor. The

committee held its first meeting on July 7, 2019 and visited tanneries in Savar

on July 20 and November 20,

2019. (85) Also during the reporting period, MOLE broadcast an awareness raising program on 30 private

television channels. The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs assisted 700 children through Child Development

Centers and rehabilitated 972 street children. (43)

Seventh Five Year Plan

(2016–2020)

Includes the elimination of the worst forms of child labor, with a focus on child domestic workers and other

vulnerable groups. Sets out actions to be taken by the government, including forming a policy for children working

in the formal sector, providing assistance to street children to protect them from exploitation, coordinating with

stakeholders for effective rehabilitation, increasing working children’s access to formal and non-formal learning,

and providing livelihood support to poor households with children. (97) During the reporting period, 1,250 street

children were brought into schooling. (43)

Domestic Workers

Protection and Welfare

Policy

Sets the minimum age for domestic work at 14 years; all children under 18 require parental permission to engage

in domestic work. (98) However, the policy is not legally enforceable until the legal framework is amended to

reflect the revised policy. (99) In 2019, the government formed a Central Monitoring Cell on Domestic Workers

to monitor implementation of the policy and two awareness-raising workshops were conducted in Khulna and

Barishal. (85)

National Plan of Action

for Prevention and

Suppression of Human

Trafficking (2018–2022)

Establishes a plan to build government capacity to address trafficking in persons and provide economic and social

safety nets for victims and vulnerable populations, particularly children. (100,101) In 2019, the government took

steps to implement the plan including creating 2,866 new Bangladesh Police posts, organizing training courses

for police, border guards, and coast guard officials; and establishing a 24/7 legal advice hotline. It rehabilitated or

reintegrated 3,501 children, and referred 2,677 children to legal aid, and 4,204 children to government, private,

and NGO services. (43,85)

The government has a National Education Policy that sets the compulsory age for free education through eighth

grade (age 14). In 2019, the government supported education through constructing new classrooms, providing

textbooks, training teachers, and providing stipends and meals to students in need. (85) However, the government

has yet to include child labor elimination and prevention strategies into the National Education Policy. (61)

Bangladesh

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2019 FINDINGS ON THE WORST FORMS OF CHILD LABOR

VI. SOCIAL PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS CHILD LABOR

In 2019, the government funded and participated in programs that include the goal of eliminating or preventing

child labor (Table 10). However, issues exist in these social programs, including lack of adequate programs to

address the full scope of the problem.

Table 10. Key Social Programs to Address Child Labor

Program Description

Elimination of Hazardous

Child Labor, Phase IV

(2018–2021)†

A $35 million Government of Bangladesh-funded, 3-year project implemented by the Ministry of Labor and

Employment. Removed 90,000 children from hazardous labor in phases I-III by providing informal and technical

education, stipends, and awareness raising for employers and families. (43,86,102) In 2019, although implementation

of the program was delayed, selection of NGOs to support the program continued. (85)

Child Labor

Improvements in

Bangladesh (CLIMB)

(2017–2021)

USDOL-funded project implemented by Winrock International that aims to build the capacity of civil society

to more effectively detect and combat forced child labor and other labor abuses in the dried fish sector in

Bangladesh. In 2019, the program included research on forced child labor in the dried fish industry in Cox’s

Bazar. (103) Additional information is available on the USDOL website.

Accelerating Protection

for Children (2017–

2021)†

Project funded by the government and UNICEF and implemented by the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs

to assist children engaged in exploitative work. (85) Since July 2017 through the reporting period, the project

removed 35,454 child laborers from exploitative work, provided them with stipends, and reached 167,500 people

with awareness raising activities on child marriage, child labor, and child torture. (85)

Enabling Environment for

Child Rights†

Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs program, supported by UNICEF, which rehabilitates street children

engaged in child labor and enrolls them in school. (104,105) Active in 2019. (106)

Child Help Line 1098† Ministry of Social Work-implemented and UNICEF-supported 24-hour emergency hotline. Connects children

vulnerable to violence, abuse, and exploitation with social protection services. (107) The hotline receives

approximately 80,000 calls a year and was accessible from anywhere in the country. (43) Active in 2019. (106)

† Program is funded by the Government of Bangladesh.

‡ The government had other social programs that may have included the goal of eliminating or preventing child labor. (108,109)

During the reporting period, with technical and financial support from UNICEF, the Bangladesh Bureau of

Statistics conducted the Bangladesh Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), which includes child labor

statistics. The Government of Bangladesh is expected to release the data in 2020. (2) In addition, the Ministry of

Labor and Employment is expected to conduct a national survey on child labor by 2021. (2)

Within 15 ministries responsible for children in some way, the government of Bangladesh increased its spending

on children by 17 percent between the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 fiscal years. Although the government has

implemented 91 action programs to eliminate hazardous child labor, research found that the scope of these

programs is insufficient to fully address the extent of the child labor problem, including in tanneries, the informal

garment sector, and the dried fish industry. (43)

VII. SUGGESTED GOVERNMENT ACTIONS TO ELIMINATE CHILD LABOR

Based on the reporting above, suggested actions are identified that would advance the elimination of child labor

in Bangladesh (Table 11).

Table 11. Suggested Government Actions to Eliminate Child Labor

Area Suggested Action

Year(s)

Suggested

Legal Framework Amend the national law to reflect the amended Domestic Workers Protection and Welfare policy. 2018 – 2019

Extend the law’s minimum age protections to children working in the informal sector, including in

domestic work, on the streets, and in small-scale agriculture.

2009 – 2019

Ensure that the types of hazardous work prohibited for children are comprehensive, in particular by

including garment production and fish drying.

2016 – 2019

Establish criminal prohibitions on the use of children for pornographic performances. 2015 – 2019

Establish criminal prohibitions on the use of children in illicit activities, particularly in the production of

drugs.

2015 – 2019

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2019 FINDINGS ON THE WORST FORMS OF CHILD LABOR

Area Suggested Action

Year(s)

Suggested

Legal Framework Establish age 16 as the minimum age for voluntary recruitment by the state military, with safeguards for

voluntariness.

2016 – 2019

Establish criminal prohibitions on the recruitment of children under age 18 by non-state armed groups. 2016 – 2019

Ensure that education is compulsory through eighth grade and is consistent with the minimum age for

work.

2012 – 2019

Enforcement Ensure enforcement of citations and penalties for labor law violations, including authorizing the

labor inspectorate to assess penalties for child labor law violations and increasing penalties for child

labor law violations to be an adequate deterrent.

2014 – 2019

Significantly increase the number of labor inspectors to meet the ILO’s technical advice. 2009 – 2019

Ensure that labor inspections are conducted with sufficient frequency during night shifts. 2013 – 2019

Create mechanisms for labor and criminal law enforcement to refer children involved in child labor

to appropriate legal and social services and create a mechanism for screening children removed from

factories for signs of human trafficking.

2013 – 2019

Ensure that law enforcement personnel are investigated, prosecuted, and convicted for offenses related

to the worst forms of child labor, including the commercial sexual exploitation of children.

2019

Publish information related to criminal law enforcement, including the number of investigations,

violations found, prosecutions initiated, convictions, and penalties imposed for violations related to the

worst forms of child labor.

2012 – 2019

Provide police with sufficient resources to enforce violations involving human trafficking, forced labor,

and the commercial sexual exploitation of children.

2014 – 2019

Ensure that Child Protection Networks are sufficiently funded to provide a functional referral

mechanism between law enforcement and social services.

2016 – 2019

Coordination Adequately coordinate with India’s Rescue, Recovery, Repatriation, and Integration Task Force to ensure

the timely repatriation of human trafficking victims.

2018 – 2019

Ensure that counter-trafficking committees are funded and are able to function. 2019

Government

Policies

Integrate child labor elimination and prevention strategies into the National Education Policy. 2014 – 2019

Social Programs Provide sufficient education services for Rohingya refugee children and remove other barriers to their

school attendance.

2017 – 2019

Expand programs to address the scope of the child labor problem, including developing and

implementing programs to address child labor in the informal garment, leather, and fish drying

industries.

2016 – 2019

Table 11. Suggested Government Actions to Eliminate Child Labor (Cont.)

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108 Ministry of Labor and Employment. U.S. Department of Labor Request

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109 U.S. Embassy- Dhaka. Reporting. February 23. 2016.

110 Indigenous Peoples Human Rights Defenders Network. Bangladesh: Two

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111 U.S. Embassy- Dhaka. Reporting. June 24, 2020.

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