NPA to eliminate Keraniganj Child Labour: revised and extended

The National Plan of Action (NPA) to eliminate Child Labour in the Keraniganj Informal RMG Sector in Bangladesh has been revised and extended until December 2025!

Child Labour in Keraniganj is a listed hazardous sector declared. by the Government. Bangladesh Labour Foundation (BLF) and Department of Inspection for the Factories and Establishments (DIFE) has been working to eliminate child labour from Keraniganj informal RMG Sector in Bangladesh since 2022. Together, we are working towards a child labour-free Bangladesh as per Government commitment, in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 8.7)

About Keraniganj and its Child Labour:

Keraniganj, located on the outskirts of Dhaka, is a bustling hub of Bangladesh’s informal Ready-Made Garments (RMG) sector. Unlike the formal RMG industry, which is regulated and primarily export-oriented, the informal RMG sector caters to the domestic market. It is characterized by small, unregistered factories operating with minimal oversight.

This informal Ready-Made Garments (RMG) sector employs approximately 350,000 workers in its numerous unregistered factories. Of which an estimated 14,000 child laborers under 14 years of age are working in these factories. These children are often engaged in tasks such as cutting, stitching, ironing, and packaging garments. The informal nature of these factories, coupled with minimal regulatory oversight, exacerbates the prevalence of child labour.