Dhaka, Bangladesh – The United Arab Emirates (UAE) government has decided to compensate the Bangladeshi children used as camel jockeys in their country. The children, some as young as 4-years-old were taken from Bangladesh, Pakistan and other countries to serve as riders on camels during races. It was a sport suited for adult riders but dangerous for the often terrified youngsters who were forced to ride atop galloping camels.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was singed to this effect between Bangladesh and the UAE governments on April 25, according to an official statement distributed in the capital, Dhaka on Saturday.
Bangladesh Home Secretary Abdul Karim and the Home Secretary of UAE signed the MoU on behalf of their respective sides.
Under the MoU, Bangladeshi children who were used as camel jockeys and who were injured from Jan. 1, 1993 to the subsequent period will be compensated $1,000 each.
The amount of compensation may be extended up to $5,000 for the injured children used as camel jockeys, the statement adds.
A total of 200 such children have already returned to Bangladesh and the UAE government provided around $1,500 to each of them for their rehabilitation.
