A report from Dhaka highlights the severe educational deprivation faced by children living in urban slums such as Karwan Bazar, Kamalapur, Mohammadpur, and Agargaon. Many children, particularly girls, are unable to attend school due to poverty, child labor, and early marriage. UNICEF and BRAC data show that about 40 percent of slum children never access formal education, and most who do drop out before completing primary school. Environmental challenges, lack of space, and discriminatory behavior by teachers further worsen the situation.

Teachers and parents interviewed in the report describe a cycle of hardship where families prioritize daily survival over education. Many children start working in garment factories or as domestic helpers at an early age. Although NGOs operate temporary schools and the government provides free books and stipends, these efforts remain insufficient to meet the needs of slum populations. Poor infrastructure, teacher misconduct, and lack of supportive learning environments discourage attendance.

The report concludes that despite constitutional guarantees of education as a basic right, slum children remain excluded from mainstream schooling, trapped in poverty and child labor with limited prospects for change.