Staff Reporter:
Labor and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury yesterday said child labor must be eliminated through practical and sustainable initiatives and start from our own homes.
“Rather than remaining confined to seminars, the effort to eradicate child labor should begin at our own homes,” he said.
The minister made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion held at the Institution of Agriculturists auditorium here.
The discussion was arranged marking the World Day against Child Labor 2026 with the theme “Red Card to Child Labor: Fair play for children, decent work for adults”.
Ariful Haque called upon the International Labor Organization (ILO) and all local and international or-ganisations working in the sector to jointly identify the area’s most vulnerable to child labor in the coun-try and work together to eliminate the problem.
“It is our social responsibility to ensure that every child grows up in a healthy environment. Human re-sources are the country’s greatest asset, and it is our moral responsibility to utilize this resource proper-ly,” he said.
He directed the ministry’s secretary and the relevant officials to design and implement a sustainable and effective pilot program within the next one year.
He also called on respective bodies and institutions to step in to create awareness in the process of child labor elimination.
He also attached special importance to involving religious institutions in creating nationwide public awareness against child labor.
The discussion and cultural programs were jointly arranged by the Ministry of Labor and Employment, the Child Labor Elimination Platform (CLEP) and the International Labor Organization (ILO).
Secretary to the Ministry of Labor and Employment Md Abdur Rahman Tarafder presided over the event while ILO Bangladesh Country Director Max Tunon was present as special guest.
