Vulnerable Children of Bangladesh

In recent years, the prevalence of child labor has become a serious problem in many poor developing countries. Bangladesh, being one of the poorest and one of the most densely populated countries in the world; the problem of child labor is huge. It is estimated that there are 4.9 million working children between the ages of 5-15 in Bangladesh. That is 13.4% of the total work force in the country. Most of these children have no other better options. Some are orphans growing up on the streets while others are forced to work due the economic hardships of their family. And most recently due to the violence in Myanmar, hundred of thousands of children had fled into Bangladesh into refugee camps. The lucky ones are with families and relatives, but many have been separated from their families and are left on their own to fend for themselves and their siblings. There is not much future for these children growing up and living in poverty and deprivation. Few will ever have the opportunity to an education or to learn skills to ensure a better life for them in the future. But just banning the use of child laborer in industries is not a permanent solution to this problem. In fact, this step is useless if the government and NGO’s do not ensure the economic and social securities of these minors. 40% of the 166 million people in Bangladesh make less then $1 a day and spend 80% of that income on food. With the rising cost of fuel and food prices, more and more children will be forced to work to help support their family and put food on the table. The documentary series of images highlight the living and working conditions of these very vulnerable children in Bangladesh.