Child labour in Bangladesh has surged sharply over the past six years, with nearly 1.2 million additional children entering the workforce since 2019, according to the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2025. The findings, reported on 12 June — the World Day Against Child Labour — show that 9.2 per cent of children aged 5 to 17 years are now engaged in child labour, up from 6.8 per cent in 2019.

Key Findings from MICS 2025

The survey, cited by the Dhaka Tribune, points to deepening economic hardship as the primary driver pushing children out of classrooms and into jobs. Out-of-school children in Bangladesh are reportedly four times more likely to be involved in labour than those attending school, underscoring the tight link between poverty, educational exclusion, and child employment.

Boys have been disproportionately affected: approximately 11 per cent of male children are engaged in labour, compared to 7 per cent of girls. Even younger children are not spared — 8 per cent of children aged 5 to 11 years and 14 per cent of those aged 12 to 14 years are reportedly involved in labour.

Worst-Affected Regions

Regionally, Rajshahi recorded the highest child labour rate at 12.4 per cent, followed by Rangpur at 11.8 per cent, Mymensingh at 10.1 per cent, and Khulna at 9.8 per cent, according to the Dhaka Tribune. Child labour figures in Barisal, Sylhet, Chittagong, and Dhaka remained below the national average.

UNICEF Raises Alarm on Violence Against Children

The child labour data emerges alongside a separate and grave warning from the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF). Last month, UNICEF expressed deep concern over a surge in brutal violence against children across Bangladesh, including the rape and killing of girls and boys in settings meant to protect them.

Rana Flowers, UNICEF Representative in Bangladesh, said the growing number of reports of brutal and sexual violence against women and children in 2026 made it urgent to strengthen child and gender-based violence (GBV) prevention measures nationwide.

'The culture of impunity enjoyed by perpetrators must end, and the gaps in prevention, reporting, institutional safeguarding, child-friendly police and justice, community protection and social services must be addressed. There is also a need for psychosocial support for the women and children, with far stronger accountability of schools, madrasas, workplaces, neighbourhoods and care settings,' Flowers said in an official statement.

UNICEF's Appeal and Child Helpline

Flowers also cautioned against the circulation of images or identifying details of victims, warning that sharing such content amounts to further abuse. 'All who share and reshare are adding to the trauma of survivors, the trauma of families, and the disrespect of the victim,' she said.

UNICEF urged communities, media outlets, and social media users to report violence and exploitation through available protection channels, including Child Helpline 1098, which provides support and referral services for children in need. The agency called for stronger protection systems and an end to impunity for perpetrators.

Together, the MICS 2025 data and UNICEF's warnings paint a troubling picture of child welfare in Bangladesh — one that advocates say demands urgent legislative and social intervention.