'Migration from villages causes unplanned urbanisation’

They said due to this chaotic urbanisation the poor children mostly of the slum dwellers get minimum shelter, education and healthcare.

The workshop on 'Children living in the cities: The case of metropolis Dhaka' was organised jointly by Unnayan Shamannay and Plan Bangladesh at the Cirdap auditorium in the city.

Presenting a keynote paper economist Dr Atiur Rahman said poor children are further crippled as "the apparent non-recognition of their rights is ingrained in the government, which relieves it off their duty to such people."

The paper identified the weak implementation of urban plans, poor urban governance, lack of awareness and the absence of organised movements among the common people as the main cause of unplanned urbanisation.

Dr Atiur suggested government's initiative in collaboration with the NGOs and local government bodies especially the Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) to meet these problems.

Speaking on the paper, Prof Nazrul Islam, chairman of the Centre for Urban Studies, said in most cases the NGO activities are subject to duplication and that's why the government's active involvement is a must to reduce the exploitation of the slum children.

Monira Ahsan, deputy country director of Save the Children, Australia, said NGOs can only articulate and advocate policies, but the responsibility lies with the government to take up those issues and speed up the development of the marginal sections.

The workshop, chaired by Country Director of Plan Bangladesh Edward Thomas Espey, stressed the necessity of a caucus consisting of lawmakers of all parties to meet these problems.

Representatives of various NGOs, members of civil society and some street children also spoke at the workshop.