Children pay the price as parents struggle to heal trauma after protests

Doulot Akter Mala | Published: July 27, 2024 23:36:26

Many parents of Gen Z have become traumatised by the prospect of sending their children alone outside after the nationwide anti-quota conflicts, which claimed more than 200 lives and injured thousands.
Even amid the relaxed curfew in Dhaka, the guardians have expressed their panic about allowing their children -- aged between 12 and 27 -- to go out alone.
In a social media post on Saturday, UNICEF's South Asia Department also expressed deep concern about the welfare and mental health of children affected by the recent nationwide conflict.
During the quota reform movement, violent clashes erupted on 18 July and lasted for a week, leaving 200 people dead and thousands injured. UNICEF has described the number of child casualties as striking.
While children from affluent families may have the option to continue their education online, others face the stark choice of staying indoors and risking starvation.
Low-income families, in particular, have little choice but to send their children out to work amid soaring living costs in the capital.
Masum Mia, a 24-year-old delivery driver for on-demand food delivery platform Pathao, began working again on 25 July, saying he had no alternative but to take the risk.
"Though I get a monthly payment from Pathao, a commission on each parcel delivery may not be paid if I am absent," he added.
Rafique Ahmed, director of two groups of companies, said his 26-year-old son was injured in front of Abul Hotel in Dhaka's Rampura area on 17 July while returning from work.
"We were both crossing the road on our way home. Suddenly I realised my son was not behind me," he said.
Mr Ahmed later learned that his son had been hit by six or seven pellet gunshots.
"Doctors have said several pellet gun splinters have entered his head and shoulders and cannot be removed through surgery," he added, saying his son would have to live with the adverse effects of these splinters for the rest of his life.
He said many young people like his son, who were not involved in the protests, were also injured in the violence, causing widespread panic among parents.
Sadia Chowdhury from Kalabagan expressed concern about sending her eighth-grade son to a coaching centre in the adjacent Dhanmondi area.
"As a private sector employee, I have allowed my son to travel alone to school and private tuition centres, but now it seems unsafe," she said.
Although schools are closed, some private teachers have opened their centres for students taking O-level exams in October 2024, she added.
Raihan Sobhan, an English language teacher at Pivot Coaching Centre in Malibagh, said English-medium students preparing for the O-level exam had limited time as the exam date is fixed internationally.
"We have not opened the coaching centre yet due to parents' concerns about sending their children out in these circumstances," he said.
Mr Sobhan said they had been supporting students online, especially those sitting exams this year.
Laila Yasmin, a resident of Mirpur, had not sent her son Rafid to his private tutor's home.
"Usually, my son, a ninth-grader, goes to his private tutor's home and other places alone. But this situation has made our family panic about letting him go out," she said.
Mental health expert Professor Mekhala Sarkar said parents should support their children and improve communication to help them control their excitement and avoid panic.
Children, especially teenagers, should not rush to conclusions when excited by a situation, said Ms Sarkar, a psychiatrist at the National Institute of Mental Health and Hospital.
She advised parents to monitor their children closely, especially those who had witnessed the deaths or injuries of friends or relatives, to prevent severe mental trauma in the future.
"Parents can consult psychiatrists or mental health experts if they notice any adverse post-trauma in their children," she added.
UNICEF said in a Saturday social media post that the number of calls to its children's helpline '1098' had increased by 250 per cent during the nationwide anti-quota conflicts compared to normal times.
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