Child labourer Nayeem to get Tk 3mn after losing arm in workshop accident
Staff Correspondent
The Supreme Court has affirmed the compensation of Tk 3 million awarded to Nayeem Hassan, who lost his arm in a workshop accident at the age of 10.
A four-member bench of the Appellate Division led by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed issued an order upholding a High Court ruling on Tuesday.
Advocate Omar Faruk, representing the petitioner, told reporters that despite having the means, workshop owner Yakub Hossain has persistently evaded compliance with the court’s directive.
“I hope after the dismissal of this appeal, Yakub will not be deceitful and pay his dues in a humane manner.”
A report on Nayeem’s circumstances was published in a national daily on Nov 1, 2020.
In December 2020, Nayeem’s father Anwar Hossain filed a petition with the High Court based on the report to demand compensation. The petition was heard and a rule on the matter was issued on Dec 27 of that year.
he rule asked why Nayeem should not receive Tk 20 million in compensation.
The Kishoreganj deputy commissioner was instructed to investigate the incident on Sept 28, 2020.
On Jan 31, the bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Kazi Zinat Hoque issued an order calling on Yakub to make a deposit of Tk 3 million in the name of Nayeem.
The owner of the Noor Engineering Workshop in Kishoreganj’s Bhairab was also instructed to pay him Tk 7,000 per month until he completed his Higher Secondary Certificate exams.
The owner must deposit Tk 1.5 million in the account by April that year and the remaining Tk 1.5 million by December, the court said. Nayeem would be able to access the total deposit after 10 years.
According to the newspaper report, Nayeem was 10 years old in 2020, when he was a student in fourth grade. His family hailed from Araishidha village in Brahmanbaria’s Ashuganj Upazila and his father ran a shoe business.
During the coronavirus pandemic, Anwar lost his job and sent Nayeem to work at a workshop in Kishoreganj’s Bhairab. One day, Nayeem’s right arm was caught in the machinery at the shop and his arm had to be surgically amputated below the elbow.
