S A Shofiee, Sylhet :
Day by day child labour is increasing in Sylhet. At an age when children are supposed to go to school with books and notebooks, they are selling labor at low prices. Again, under the cover of child labor, many children are involved in various crimes. Children are being used in politics. Some are vagabonds for want of food. Some running after addiction.
Statistics say that there are 2 thousand street children in Sylhet district. There are about 5 thousand street children in the four districts of the department.
Sylhet city can be seen, there is no rice in the stomach, no clothes to wear – children are walking around in front of various bus stations, railway stations, shrines, shops every day. Sometimes he reaches out to people for a handful of food and sometimes he makes a living by collecting pieces of paper, bottles, broken furniture and selling them.
Various private and voluntary organizations are working to rehabilitate and train these street children in Sylhet. UNICEF, FIVDB, street children services have been working with street children in Sylhet for a long time. Sylhet Sadar Upazila Social Service Office, City Social Service Office, Sylhet District Social Service Office, Sylhet Divisional Social Service Office are supporting them in various ways
According to statistics, the number of street children in Sylhet is less than other districts. There are 100 to 150 street children.
According to Sylhet divisional social services office, the social services department considers the street children deprived of benefits and nurtures them in various institutions at government expense.
Such institutions of Sylhet Division are Government Children’s Family (Boys)-113 in Bagbari, Raynagar 90 Government Children’s Family (Girls), 7 in Integrated Visually Impaired Education Program in Kalighat, 37 in Sheikhghat Government Speech and Hearing Impaired School, Bagbari Safe Housing Center for Women and Children. (Safehome) 27, Chhota Moni Nibas in Bagbari 27, Training and Rehabilitation Center for Socially Handicapped Girls in Khadimnagar 27, Sheikh Russell Child Training and Rehabilitation Center 70.
Apart from this, there are 66 government children families (boys) in Habiganj, 60 government children families (girls) in Srimangal, 90 government children families (girls) in Sunamganj, 6 people in integrated visually impaired education program in Moulvibazar, zero people in integrated education program for visually impaired people in Habiganj, zero people in integrated education program for visually impaired people in Sunamganj. 48 people are being rehabilitated and trained at technical training center for orphan girls in Moulvibazar. At various times, these institutions take the children from the streets and put them in the institutions and rehabilitate them. Many are sent to school from here.
Experts say that children go out on the streets due to poverty, ignorance of parents. Once a child is out on the streets, he cannot be brought back home. Once he got addicted. They go astray in the vicious circle.
Talked with street child Khadija in Jindabazar of the city. She tells the correspondent, my family runs the streets selling balloons all day due to poverty. None of us cooperate.
Pediatrician Dr. Ruli Binte Rahim said that the health of street children should be considered first. Being on the street can carry many pathogens and spread the disease. For this, they must be kept healthy first.
He said, along with the social services office, the city corporation can take initiatives for rehabilitation with statistics.
Deputy Director of Sylhet Divisional Social Service Office Nivas Ranjan Dash said that the social service office is working with street children. Arranging to take them from the streets, rehabilitate them and send them to schools.