Bangladesh Labour Foundation (BLF) on Thursday organised a human chain and rally in front of the National Press Club to mark World Day Against Child Labour 2026, calling for stronger collective efforts to eliminate child labour and ensure decent working conditions across the country.

The programme was held under the theme, “Say No to Child Labour, Ensure Decent Working Conditions,” and was attended by representatives from the government, the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE), Sramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad (SKOP), IndustriALL Bangladesh Council (IBC), the International Labour Organization (ILO), trade unions, employers’ associations, development partners, civil society organisations and the media.

Speakers at the event expressed concern over the continued prevalence of child labour despite ongoing efforts to curb the practice.

According to figures shared at the programme, around 138 million children worldwide are engaged in child labour, including nearly 54 million involved in hazardous work.

In Bangladesh, approximately 1.79 million children aged between five and 17 are engaged in labour, while around 1.07 million are involved in hazardous occupations that threaten their health, safety and development.

The speakers stressed that achieving the government’s commitment to eliminating all forms of child labour by 2030 will require coordinated action from all stakeholders.

SKOP Joint Convener Faiz Hossain said greater awareness among families, expanded social protection programmes and increased opportunities for vocational training are essential to reducing child labour. IBC President Kutubuddin Ahmed called for strict enforcement of existing laws and stronger monitoring mechanisms to ensure compliance.

ILO representative Niran Ramjuthan urged all stakeholders to work together to provide quality education, social protection and decent employment opportunities for adults, which he said are key to preventing child labour.

BLF Executive Director AKM Ashraf Uddin said technical and vocational education should be expanded and social safety programmes for vulnerable families strengthened. He also stressed the need to ensure child labour-free production and supply chains in line with international standards.

The speakers expressed optimism that Bangladesh could achieve its child labour elimination target by 2030 through coordinated efforts by the government, employers, workers’ organisations, development partners and civil society.