Bangladesh stands as the world’s second-largest exporter of leather, yet beneath this nations’ economic success lies a stark, unsettling reality for thousands of child laborers. According to a study by the University of Sussex, nearly a quarter of the country’s leather workers are children. These young individuals, often having lost one or both parents, find themselves in the difficult position of accepting dangerous and underpaid jobs to ensure their survival and support their families.

The monthly compensation for these children is a mere €35, despite being exposed to harmful chemicals and required to work with sharp tools, without any protection, for extended periods of 10 hours a day. This grim reality prevails despite it being strictly prohibited in Bangladesh for children under the age of 14 to be employed, and for those under the age of 18 to engage in hazardous work. A WHO report further underscores the severity of the situation, highlighting that approximately 90 percent of tannery workers in Bangladesh do not see their 50th birthday.

FRANCE 24’s team of reporters, including Lisa Gamonet, Navodita Kumari, Nabeel Ahmed, and Shehab Sumon, has extensively covered this disheartening narrative, shedding light on the plight of these children and calling attention to the urgent need for change and protection in the leather industry of Bangladesh.

Source: https://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/focus/20250224-child-labour-in-bangladesh-the-dark-side-of-the-leather-industry