Bangladesh has ratified International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 138 on the minimum age for employment, taking a major step in its battle to eliminate child labour.
The country also fixed 14 years as the minimum age for employment as per the convention that requires Bangladesh to set a minimum age below which no one shall be admitted to employment or work in any occupation, except for children in light work and artistic performances.
The ratification instruments were submitted by Begum Monnujan Sufian, state minister of Labour and Employment (MoLE), at ILO headquarters in Geneva on Tuesday, according to a statement.
Anisul Huq, Minister of Law and Justice Parliamentary Affairs, Md Mustafizur Rahman, Ambassador and Permanent Representative and Md Ehsan-E-Elahi, MoLE Secretary, were present on the occasion, it added.
This ratification is a part of the government’s commitment under the National Action Plan (NAP) on the Labour Sector of Bangladesh (2021-2026).
In January 2022, Bangladesh also ratified the Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention (Protocol No. 29), reinforcing its international commitment to the prevention and elimination of forced labour, including trafficking in persons.
With this ratification, Bangladesh has now ratified all eight of ILO’s ‘Fundamental Conventions’ covering social and labour issues that are considered fundamental to rights at work.
