Kolkata: Marking five decades of the historic Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976, a series of legal awareness and sensitisation programmes were organised across West Bengal, reaffirming the State’s commitment to eliminating bonded labour, human trafficking and labour exploitation.
A key public outreach programme was held at Howrah Railway Station, one of the busiest transit hubs in the country, in the presence of Niladri Kumar Nath, Railway Magistrate, Howrah Station and Md. Imtiaz Bharati, noted human rights activist. The initiative was organised by Anubhuti, a coalition of non-governmental organisations, in collaboration with the Government Railway Police (GRP), West Bengal.
The programme focused on strengthening public awareness, particularly among migrant and informal sector workers, who are most vulnerable to exploitation during transit. Railway stations were highlighted as critical points for early identification, prevention and intervention against bonded labour and trafficking.
Discussions underscored that bonded labour has been abolished nationwide since 1975 and is governed by the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976, which places the responsibility of identification, release and rehabilitation of bonded labourers on State authorities. Participants were sensitised on the roles of District and Sub-Divisional Magistrates, Vigilance Committees, enforcement agencies, and the rehabilitation mechanisms available under the Central Sector Scheme for Rehabilitation of Bonded Labourers (2021).
Simultaneously, Legal Awareness Camps were organised across major districts of West Bengal under the guidance of the State Legal Services Authority (SLSA), reinforcing access to justice and promoting coordinated action among legal institutions, law enforcement agencies and civil society organisations.
Organisers stressed that sustained inter-agency coordination, community vigilance and continuous public engagement are essential to ensure effective implementation of the Act and timely rehabilitation of rescued workers, even five decades after its enactment.
Addressing the gathering, Niladri Kumar Nath, Honourable Railway Magistrate, Howrah Station, said,
“Freedom and dignity are non-negotiable human rights. Let us build a society where no person is forced to trade their liberty for survival.”
Echoing similar sentiments, Md. Imtiaz Bharati, noted human rights activist, remarked,
“Awareness is the key to justice. Only a conscious society can defeat exploitation. Bonded labour laws empower us; change is inevitable.”
The programmes concluded with a renewed call for collective responsibility to ensure that the promise of freedom enshrined in the Bonded Labour Abolition Act translates into lived reality for every worker across the State.
