Study the Socio-economic Status and Causes of Child Labor in Dublar Char Sutki Palli at Bagerhat District, Bangladesh

The study was conducted to assess the socio-economic status of child laborers in the dried fish village (sutki palli) of Dublar Char, an island located in the Sharonkhola range of the eastern Sundarbans the largest mangrove forest in the world under Bagerhat district, Bangladesh. The study took place from November 2023 to March 2024. During the dry season, Dublar Char’s dried fish village was bustling with fish processing activities, where large numbers of fishermen were drying marine fish. The study focused on understanding the socio-economic conditions and causes of child labour in this area, surveying 100 child laborers aged 10 to 15 years. Of these, 47 % were 15 years old, and 12 % were 10 years old. The children came from two family types: 57 % from nuclear families and 43 % from joint families. Regarding marital status, 87% were unmarried, and 13 % were married. Housing conditions were poor, with 97 % living in makeshift huts, and 3 % were homeless. Family incomes ranged from Tk. 5,000 to Tk. 10,000 per month, with Tk. 5,000 being the lowest. Access to basic amenities was limited: 47 % had satisfactory drinking water and sanitation, while 53 % lacked adequate facilities. Additionally, there were no educational institutions available for working children on Dublar Char.