State Minister for Labour and Employment Begum Monnujan Sufian on Tuesday said that the country will be free of child labour within 2025 according to the target of the sustainable development goals (SDG).

The state minister came up with the remarks while attending a meeting of National Child labour Welfare Council at Shrama Bhaban in Bijaynagar area of the city.

International Labour Organization (ILO) said some 1.2 million children are still trapped in child labour in its worst forms, according to the latest National Child Labour Survey report, published in 2015.

Poverty is the key reason behind children dropping out from schools and joining works, she said.

“We also have to identify other reasons for child labour which would make it more easier to resolve,”she added.

Children are the future citizens, they should be raised properly for the welfare of the nation, she insisted.

KM Abdus Salam, Secretary of Labour and Employment Ministry, Additional Secretaries Dr Molla Jalal Uddin and Dr Rezaul Haque.

In 2006, the country passed a Labour Law setting the minimum legal age for employment as 14.

Child labours can be found in agriculture, poultry breeding, fish processing, the garment sector and the leather industry, as well as in shoe production. Children are involved in jute processing, the production of candles, soap and furniture.

They work in the salt industry, the production of asbestos, bitumen, tiles and ship breaking.

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