raising awareness on child rights: Life of the stone quarry children

It’s an important question that the environment of Bangladesh is child friendly or not. Because there are so many stone quarry children in this land. Especially there are many small and large stone quarry area in Sylhet district. People of these areas are dependent on the stone related jobs such as stone collection, stone breaking, stone loading and so on. They get a simple wages for whole day working. A man gets taka 100 to taka 200 as wage per day while it is taka 100 for a woman. Most of the family came here from Mymensingh, Netrokona, Brahmanbaria, Comilla, Hobiganj and Sunamganj. They came here earlier than 5 to 25 years. These people are illiterate, superstitious and vastly unconscious about their children’s lives. They wake up from sleep by hearing the sound of stone crashers and Motors (shallow engines) and they sleep at night by hearing the same sound. Like their parents most of the children do the same job. They help their parents to do the job while it is important to going to the school.
Though there are not sufficient schools in these areas.

Jaflong, a union of Goainghat Upazila under Sylhet District is one of the largest stone quarry area of South Asia. Ballapunji govt.primary school in Ballaghat, Jaflong has around 200 students in every class. But the dangerous thing is- most of the students are engaged in child labor. I asked this question to the head master of that school- “what’s the reason of this situation”. He said to me, “poverty and the unconsciousness of their parents”. I told him- “UNICEF is going to do something for this community under The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Bangladesh. It’ll possible if all of you co-operate us”. He was very glad to hear of UNICEF. Because UNICEF is the largest organization for Children of the world.
Condition of Child Labor in Bangladesh is not very satisfactory. Though at present there are some social laws in our society. Finally I recommend 5 necessary steps should be taken for this society:

1. To provide financial support to this community.
2. To establish various child friendly spaces.
3. To counseling with the owner of the Mills where plenty of children working.
4. To provide a number of social worker for take caring their life plan.
5. To encourage to change their profession style.

It is true Bangladesh is going to ahead day by day and it is mostly possible to make a child labor free Bangladesh if we work together cordially.

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