Compliance of the Bangladesh Legal Policies with the ILO Convention on the Prohibition of Child Labor

Mohammad Belayet Hossain

doi:10.58829/lp.7.2.2020.15-23

Authors

Mohammad Belayet Hossain University of London, London, United Kingdom

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58829/lp.7.2.2020.15-23

Keywords:

Legal Policy, Labor, Child Labor, ILO Convention, Bangladesh

Abstract

This article aims to discuss the legal policy framework in Bangladesh laws prohibiting child workers. The law has banned children from doing hazardous work, but does not define the term ‘dangerous work’. Article 44 of the 2006 Bangladesh Labor Act contradicts the 1973 ILO Minimum Age Convention. In most cases, multinational enterprises (MNEs) agents or supply chains employ children; but foreign investors also have the same responsibility to oversee the local operations of their counterparties. So, it is very important to ensure the protection of the human rights of child workers. Broadly speaking, the findings highlight the need for providing justice, legal certainty and human rights consideration in specifying worker rights such as education, fair wages, limited working hours, safe working conditions, and health protection which must be guaranteed through labor laws.

Abstrak

Artikel ini bertujuan untuk membahas kerangka kebijakan hukum dalam undang-undang Bangladesh dalam pelarangan pekerja anak. Undang-undang telah melarang anak-anak melakukan pekerjaan berbahaya; tetapi tidak mendefinisikan istilah 'pekerjaan berbahaya'. Pasal 44 Undang-Undang Ketenagakerjaan Bangladesh tahun 2006 bertentangan dengan Konvensi Usia Minimum ILO tahun 1973. Dalam kebanyakan kasus, agen atau rantai pasokan perusahaan multinasional (MNEs) mempekerjakan anak-anak; tetapi investor asing juga memiliki tanggung jawab yang sama untuk mengawasi operasi lokal rekanan mereka. Jadi, sangat penting untuk memastikan perlindungan hak asasi manusia pekerja anak. Secara garis besar, temuan tersebut menyoroti perlunya memberikan keadilan, kepastian hukum dan pertimbangan hak asasi manusia dalam menetapkan hak-hak pekerja seperti pendidikan, upah yang adil, jam kerja yang terbatas, kondisi kerja yang aman, dan perlindungan kesehatan yang harus dijamin melalui undang-undang ketenagakerjaan.

Kata kunci: Kebijakan Hukum, Perburuhan, Pekerja Anak, Konvensi ILO, Bangladesh

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