Pandemic fallout could cause rise in child labour Says lawmaker Mujibul Haque Staff Correspondent Staff Correspondent The number of children in the labour market may increase due to the income reduction of people in the current Covid-19 pandemic, said lawmaker Md Mujibul Haque, who is also the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee of the Ministry of Labour and Employment yesterday. "Currently, there are 152 million child labourers worldwide and 82 million is alone in the Asia-Pacific region. We have to work in coordination with the government and the private sector so that our progress in the elimination of child labour before Covid-19 is not diminished," he added.