01.

Executive Summary
Preparing a case study provides a practical knowledge that helps a lot in future specially in practical work field. This case is about child labor in Bangladesh and we have selected two sectors as assigned by our course teacher. The sectors are a) ship breaking child labor, and b) child labor in garments. We have also provided existing laws related child labor in Bangladesh, and the requirements of these laws and implementation of these laws and also the recommendations to the problems.

02. Data Collection

There are two sources for collecting data. They arePrimary Sources Secondary sources

Primary Sources:
In this report no information is collected from primary sources

Secondary sources:
Newspaper. Internet.

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03. Child Labor in Bangladesh

Child labor refers to the employment of children at regular and sustained labor. The Child Labor issue is one of the great concerns throughout the world. It is quite common for children of all types of societies to be engaged in some forms of occupation depending on the economic structure and level of development. Such as, the phenomenon is not connected to any particular country or culture. In fact, of the country concerned, Child Labor has been generally perceived more as a problem of poor developing countries like Bangladesh which is consistently facing Challenges against poverty, high population growth, rising unemployment, natural disaster and so on. This practice is considered exploitative by many international organizations and is illegal in many countries. Child labor was employed to varying extents through most of history, but entered public dispute with the advent of universal schooling, with changes in working conditions during the industrial revolution, and with the emergence of the concepts of workers' and rights. In many developing countries like Bangladesh, it is considered inappropriate or exploitative if a child below a certain age works (excluding household chores, in a family shop, or school-related work). An employer is usually not permitted to hire a child below a certain minimum age. This minimum age depends on the country and the type of work involved. States ratifying the Minimum Age Convention adopted by the International Labor Organization in 1973, have adopted minimum ages varying from 14 to 16. Child labor laws in the United States set the minimum age to work in an establishment without restrictions and without parents' consent at age 16, except for the agricultural industry where children as young as 12 years of age can work in the fields for an unlimited number of non-school hours.

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Why Children Work?

We think that Children work for the social injustice and economic problem. Besides this, the more specific reasons for children may be poverty and family size in Bangladesh average 5 persons. In families where children work, the fathers often work as rickshaw puller or day laborer. Also the mother works in other houses as a servant. For this reasons, they are losing interest in their children. These families are moving here and there for looking different kind of new works. So, without stable income children are bound to work in small age. Poverty leads to quarrels, tension. In general neglected children and different natural calamities are involved for migrated to the cities with their families or alone. The children work in a different way. Child labor laws in Bangladesh do not protect working children. Employers prefer children as they are cheap, productive and obedient. They are working in industrial sectors. For this they are demanding and increasing day by day for industrial sectors.

Sector 1: Ship Breaking Child Labor

Ship breaking carries a very real risk to life. It is a dirty and dangerous occupation. It is a very hard and difficult work for every kind of ages people. Children also work in this occupation. The children work mainly as gas cutters assistants and move small iron pieces from one place to another. They also do the work in the night shift. On an average they get 50-60 taka per day for their efforts. There are no educational facilities. In 20 years about 400 workers have been killed and seriously injured 6000 people according to Bangladeshi media. On average, one worker dies in the yards a week and everyday a worker is injured. It is a replaceable works. If anyone lost his/her job in this site, he/her is waiting to be replaced him due to the lack of work. Ship breaking is in two categories. One is intoxication by dangerous substances and accidents on the plots. Explosions of leftover and fumes in the tanks are the prime cause of accidents of the yards. Another accident is falling from the ship. Other accidents are crushed by falling steel beams and plates and electric shocks. In this job workers do not get money properly, use of child labor, less than minimum wages, lack of job security etc

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Figure: Ship breaking child labor

Figure: Ship breaking child labor

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Sector 2: Child Worker in Garments

Child work is a crime. But for poverty and different reasons, children are working in garments. They are not allowed to working in garments. But some of the garments owner gives them those works to do, because they are hard worker. Many workers are woman. When foreign buyers enter the factory, many small ages child are scared and hidden under the table, been locked up in the toilet for few hours. Also, in garments sector they have physical, social, job safety, not clear in self identity, not access information, life option and planning. They are hopeless. We talked one of children workers .She said, she works for her family. They are so poor. She stays with her aunts house. She earns money 2500 taka in a month. After taking her salary, at first she give some money to the aunty for the house rent and feeding cost. Then, she saved few for her and sends very few money to her family. Then she said, it's not sufficient money for her living. But she is working for her living. In garments sector minimum wages is fixed around 950 taka. Sometimes, many garments owner give not their salary on time. For this reasons they faces money problem. In garments, many people of ages and uneducated people works. They use many bad languages. After hearing this, many children learned and sometimes they do crime. Also, in garments sector many girls are not comfort for their work, because many bad people tease them.

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Figure: Child worker in garments

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Figure: Child workers in Bangladesh

Working Environment for Children

We think, every workers working environment should be satisfying and preferable for business. If any factory follows these policies, it may be good for workers. Factory follows the factory law about child labor and does not take any child labor, which are under 18 years of ages. Factory does not force to work anybody. Factory pays at least minimum wage as per the current minimum wages ordinance. Also provide yearly bonus, increments and some entertainment things like picnic. Factory does not does not use threats, any physical, sexual or verbal abuse. Factory maintains reasonable employee works hour based on the limits on regular and over time hours allowed by local laws. Factory pays wages and benefits without regard to race, color, gender, nationality, religion, age and marital status. Factory recognizes and respects the right of employee to freedom of association and collective bargaining. Factory maintains a safe, clean and healthy environment. Also, free giving treatment to workers. Factory continuously monitors production process and takes step to the negative impacts

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The Bangladesh Labor Act, 2006

This law has replaced the Employment of Children's Act, 1938, Factories Act, 1965 and The Children (Pledging of Labor) Act, 1933. It provides for Prohibition on engagement of children (not exceeding fourteen years of age) and adolescents (over fourteen years of age but not exceeding 18 years) in any profession or institution (sec. 34) Adolescents can be engaged in a profession or institution subject to certification by a registered practitioner regarding his/her capability to carry out the particular work (sec. 34(2)(ka)) No adolescent worker to be engaged in cleaning, lubricating or processing any machinery when the switch is working (sec. 39). An adolescent worker shall not handle any machinery unless he is fully aware of the machinery and the precautions needed to handle the same (sec. 40). Prohibition of adolescents from employment in deep soil or water activities (sec. 42). Although children are not to be engaged in any profession or institution, on completion of twelve years, they may be engaged in some light work that is not hazardous to their health and physical growth and which does not disrupt their education (sec. 44). In such cases, if the child workers are school goers their working hours have to be fixed in a way that their school time is not hampered.

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The Children Act, 1974

This is the principal law that provides for care, protection and treatment of children - both as victims and as accused - and specifies the empowerment of children as its first guiding principle. Its main objectives are to ensure children's protection and treatment. It imposes various duties and obligations upon the state, which are to be implemented through the following mechanisms Juvenile courts, separate from other criminal courts, to be established to protect all children (victims and accused) (sec. 3, Chapter 4 and 6). Juvenile courts to be housed in a building or room different from that in which the ordinary sittings of the Court are held (sec. 7), hold separate trials for children and adults (sec. 6), protect confidentiality (sec. 9, 10, 17), assess children's age, circumstance, character and probation, officer's report (sec. 15), not to impose imprisonment or death sentence except in exceptional circumstances (sec. 51), if necessary send the child to a certified institute for development (sec. 52), discharge child after due admonition or release on probation under probation officer's or parent/guardian's supervision (sec. 53), put children at risk of harm under supervision of a care giver or institution (sec. 32.332.6). Police stations to grant bail to children (sec. 48). Police to be responsible for keeping children in a safe place (sec. 49), informing parents (sec. 13.2) and probation officers (sec. 50), rescuing them from harmful situations (sec. 32). Probation Officers to work in the best interests of the child in, as appropriate, conducting any social inquiry (sec. 15, 50), reporting to the court (sec. 31.3.c), supervising children in probation (sec. 53), support rehabilitation (sec. 31.3.d), rescuing children from harmful situations and escort them to the juvenile court (sec. 32). ]

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Children's Recommendations
In preparing its country strategy paper, SCUK held consultations with around 30 children from Kurigram, Moulvibazar. They made a number of useful recommendations to redress their conditions, as given belowPoverty: Ensure livelihood opportunities for parents of poor children. Arrange primary and vocational education for street children. Promote basic rights of the children of Adibashis. Offer access to development opportunities. Protection/Security: Rehabilitate and integrate children in conflict with the law in society. Reform and enforce child-protection related laws. Mandate a particular agency to provide adequate protection. Make parents aware of the need for protection of children. Make children conscious of their own protection. Food Security and Nutrition: Control price of food and other essentials and prevent adulteration of nutrient-rich food items. Campaign for safe water. Schools to arrange micro-nutrient rich meals for students. Education: Offer free, compulsory and quality education for all children. Child-friendly learning environment with safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, etc. Improve training of teachers to ensure quality education. Provide recreation and library facilities in all schools.
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Child labor: Education facilities for working children at the work place. Set up flexible learning centers for education of working children. Only light tasks to be given to children. Effective laws, awareness of laws and legal support for working children. Adequate and regular payment of wages to working children. Medical treatment facilities at the work place. Regular snacks for children at the work place. Employers of domestic child workers to be responsible for their protection. Health and Treatment: Children's hospitals in every district, with qualified doctors and nurses. Free medical treatment for working children. Improved quality of medical treatment. Doctors should educate patients about their health. Shelter: Ensure safe, sanitary and healthy shelters for homeless children Clothing: Uniforms and warm clothes to be provided to poor children and street children free of cost. Clothes to be distributed to flood-affected children. Recreation: Recreation opportunities, particularly games, songs, dances, acting, etc., for working children. Facilities for games and sports for all children Popularize the importance of recreation for a child's mental development amongst parents and teachers.

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04. Conclusion

Bangladesh has made significant progress in some of its social development indicators, particularly with respect to the infant mortality rate, total fertility rate, life expectancy, primary school enrollment and poverty reduction. In spite of these positive developments, the realization of child rights and child remain challenging concerns. With increasing political and social commitment, involvement of the judiciary and media, active participation of civil society and a growing recognition about the plight of children, the issue of child rights and child protection is gaining greater prominence in Bangladesh. This is expected to lead to a more widespread realization of child rights.

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