Incidents of child rape witnessed an alarming rise in September 2020 compared to the last eight months of the current calendar year, according to a report released by a child rights organisation.
The report also indicates that all forms of abuse and violence against the children also increased drastically in the month of September compared to the last few months, according to Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum (BSAF).
At least 68 children were reportedly raped in September while July and August saw 56 and 26 rape incidents respectively.
Of them, 14 children were gang-raped in the last month.
Apart from this, some 16 children fell victims to rape attempts, the statement read.
The incidents of unnatural deaths stood at 172 in September. Of them, drowning claimed the lives of at least 55 children while 27 were killed and 28 died in road accidents, the BSAF statement stated.
As many as 182 children were raped from July to September. Of them, 21 children were gang-raped.
The child rights organisation prepared the data after collecting them from different reports published in 15 national newspapers.
In the last three months from July to September, the incidents of unnatural deaths reached 526. Of them, 66 were killed and drowning claimed the lives of some 200 lives while 63 children died in road mishaps, the statement mentioned.
The number of total child rape and child murder incidents was 1,005 and 448 in 2019, and 571 and 418 in 2018 respectively.
Besides, the number of total child rape and child murder incidents was 85 and 201 respectively in 2012 while 150 and 180 in 2013, 199 and 366 in 2014, 521 and 292 in 2015, 446 and 265 in 2016 and 593 and 399 in 2017, it revealed.
Expressing concern over the incessant rise of child abuse and violence in the country, the BSAF Director Abdus Shahid Mahmud urged the government to take necessary steps to stop the inhumane activities to safeguard the constitutional rights of people.
He also called upon the government to give effective and appropriate directives to the law enforcement agencies and concerned authorities.
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