Dhaka, Oct 6  Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has vowed to take measures to keep children out of political activities.

Deploying children for political rallies, particularly during agitations and elections, is a common phenomenon across South Asia.

"Children would be aware of politics but should not be used in political activities," she said Monday on the occasion of World Children's Day and Child Rights Week 2009.

She said her government was committed to take measures to address the issue properly as mental growth of those children is affected and they have often become victims of violence.

"All children are entitled to have their rights but it is a matter of regret that many children in the country can not even get opportunity to meet their basic needs," The Daily Star quoted her as saying.

"It gives me pain when I see children sleeping on footpath and they are deprived of education," she added.

However, she emphasised that laws alone would not help and that society as a whole should take a better care of its children.

According to UNICEF's 2007 report, there are 19 million children under the age of five in Bangladesh. The chance of these children surviving to their fifth birthday has increased by 10 percent in the last 20 years.

Child labour is rampant in Bangladesh and there have been reports of children taking to drugs and being trafficked. (IANS)