Agricultural Research Management Information System

Home
Research Summary
Search
About Us
- ARMIS
- Brochure
Contact Us
Report
User Request
Data Input
Help
- Operation Manual
  - PDF
  - Video
- Program Area & Commodity
We have reached 37600 number of research entries at this moment.

- Logout

Research Detail

Home
Research
Detail

Involvement of Child Labour in Aquaculture Activities in Mymensingh District, Bangladesh

Khaleda Ferdousi
Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh

Md. Ali Reza Faruk
Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

A study was conducted to know the involvement of child labour in various aquaculture activities in two upazilas namely Trishal and Muktagacha in Mymensingh district. Data were collected during December 2013 to April 2014 from 35 aqua farms having 492 workers, among them 100 (20.33%) were identified as child labour. All the child workers were interviewed through structured questionnaire. Feed preparation, feeding, sorting and grading of fish and rearing of fry in ponds were the major activities where maximum child labours were found to involve. It was observed that the main cause of children to involve such activities was poverty and dropped out from school. Overall 71% child labour worked to support their family and 48% recruited according to their parent’s decision. About 55% child labour worked more than 60 hours per week and few (19%) of them got break during working hours. The child workers had very limited freedom in their working area and found to be abused mentally and physically to some extent by the farm owners. The children were also found associated with various hazardous works like contact with chemical, long time work in water logged area and lifting heavy weight. Generally, the farm owners recruited child labour in their farms as cheap worker and majority (77%) of the farm owners have no idea about the current laws of recruitment of child labour. More studies are needed to establish the extent of child labour in overall aquaculture sector of Bangladesh. It is also important to implement effectively the national minimum age legislation for aquaculture.

Keywords: Child labour, Aquaculture, Mymensingh

Location: Trishal and Muktagacha upazila in Mymensingh district, Bangladesh

Start Date: 00-12-2013

End Date: 00-04-2014

Program Area: Socio-economic and Policy

Non-commodity: Labour wages,

Objectives:

To determine the Involvement of Child Labour in aquaculture activities in Mymensingh district, Bangladesh

Methodology:

The present study was carried out for five months from December 2013 to April 2014 in Trishal and Muktagacha upazila in Mymensingh district. Data was collected through questionnaire interview with 100 child labours (70 from Trishal and 30 from Muktagacha). A set of preliminary questionnaire was prepared and field tested with a few target people. In this pilot survey much attention was given to any new information, which was not designed to ask but was important and informative towards the objectives. Thus necessary modifications were made based on the feedback and the final questionnaire was prepared on the basis of pilot survey. The questionnaire was composed of both closed and open form of question. For the interview, random stratified sampling method was followed.

Source of Information: Res. Agric. Livest. Fish. Vol. 3, No. 3, December 2016: 433-442

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

In conclusion, higher number child labours were found to involve in aquaculture activities including some hazardous ones. Elimination of child labour from aquaculture industry is thus very important. More studies are needed to establish the extent of child labour in the aquaculture related activities by characterization into gender, formal or informal engagement and supporting or remunerated scenarios. It is important to establishment of national level commissions to monitor and eradicate child labour in aquaculture. Removal and rehabilitation of children engaged in hazardous work in the aquaculture sectors is also needed. Finally, effective implementation of the national minimum age legislation for aquaculture is essential.

Knowledge Management: Journal