Rajshahi: The 21st meeting of the Rajshahi Divisional Child Labour Welfare Council was held today at the conference room of the Divisional Commissioner's office. Divisional Commissioner Yusuf Ali presided over the meeting, which was attended by officials from concerned departments and members of the council.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the meeting was informed that a target has been set to withdraw 340 children from hazardous child labour in different districts of Rajshahi division during the current fiscal year. Of these, 100 children will be withdrawn in Rajshahi, 80 in Bogura, 70 in Pabna, 60 in Sirajganj, and 30 in Naogaon.
In his address, Divisional Commissioner Yusuf Ali urged the officials not to confine their activities to exchanging letters, but to implement a specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound action plan through direct communication with the concerned ministries and officials. He also stressed taking realistic and dynamic initiatives at the field level to achieve the set target.
The meeting emphasized utilizing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds in collaboration with local industrialists and the Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, alongside government allocations, to ensure sustainable rehabilitation of children withdrawn from child labour. Discussions were also held on utilizing educational and residential facilities at the Integrated Child Rehabilitation Center and Government Shishu Paribar (Children's Home) under the Department of Social Services.
The meeting instructed officials to expedite the enrollment of eligible children in vacant seats at the boys' and girls' wings of rehabilitation centres in Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj. The participants also stressed maintaining accurate field-level information and lists and ensuring better coordination in implementing child labour elimination and rehabilitation programmes.