418 children killed in country last year, reveals report


FE Report | Published: April 01, 2019 00:24:38


418 children killed in country last year, reveals report

A total of 418 children were killed across the country in 2018 which is 23.30 per cent higher than the figure in the previous year.
During the period, 571 children were rapped and six of the victims committed suicide following the incidents, revealed a report on Sunday.
In most cases, children were killed over silly issues, including domestic violence, conjugal conflict, dowry and revenge on enemies.
The report also said 4,566 children faced different types of torture and brutality last year.
Child Rights Advocacy Coalition in Bangladesh, a child rights platform, prepared the report based on information from different media and newspapers.
The report was made public it at a discussion on child rights situation of 2018 at the Dhaka Reporters Unity in the city.
Of the total, 81 children were killed by unidentified miscreants and 53 by their parents. Besides, 31 children were killed after kidnap and 60 after rape.
A total of 339 children were killed in 2017, the report said.
The report showed 94 children were gang-raped and 96 were victims of attempted rapes.
And among the rape victims, 28 were children with disabilities.
Between 2011 and 2018, 68 children became victims of abuses on the digital platforms.
Citing a survey of child parliament, the report also said 87 per cent of children become victims of sexual harassment somehow or other.
It was found that lawsuits were not lodged or police did not receive any case in case of at least 40 per cent rape incidents, it stated.
The main reasons behind the denial of legal support include negative attitude towards the rape victims and influence of the rapists.
According to the platform, the tendency to commit suicide among children increased by 39.91 per cent in 2018 than that of the previous year.
Besides, the number of deaths of children in road accidents increased by 75.63 per cent in the year that that of the previous year.
The survey also addressed others issues like trafficking, gender-based violence, physical tortures, child marriage, rights to health, education and amusement and suggested protecting the rights.
The report recommended giving more allocation to ensure the interests of children.
Kazi Reazul Hoque, chairman of the National Human Rights Commission Bangladesh (NHRCB), who attended the event as the chief guest said Bangladesh is always sensitive to child rights.
But still it is a question how much rights have been protected for the children.
He said children in every place are vulnerable to abuse, adding, "Although we have a good law, we could not form a separate tribunal so far."
The NHRCB chair also stressed the need for a child rights commission saying it is the demand of the time.
The government has identified 38 types of works as hazardous for children; but children are manly working with such risky jobs, he added.
Abdulla Al Mamun, director (Child rights governance and child protection) of Save the Children, and Nasima Aktar Jolly, programme head of The Hunger Project, among others, spoke.

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