Children hurling bombs for Tk 500

The political involvement of children is an open secret, but people prefer to ignore the problem, considering it as a minor one that should "mellow" with age, reports BSS.
But the confession of two street children, arrested with petrol-bombs in Chittagong, shattered all those musings, and focused on the depth of their criminal involvement.
Police arrested the two street children, Sohel and Kabir Hossain, with bombs from Ishakerpul area under Bakolia Police Station.
Quoting the arrestees, Shah Md Abdur Rouf, assistant commissioner of Kotwali zone of Chittagong police, said, "Street children are now engaged in hurling petrol and crude bombs at vehicles in exchange of Tk 500 during the BNP-led 20-party alliance-sponsored nationwide blockade and hartal."
Additional commissioner (crime and operation) Banoj Kumar Majumder said a list of people, who use children for throwing petrol bombs in the capital, is being prepared.
Meanwhile, engagement of children is not restricted to throwing bombs or in arson only. They are being used for political showdowns, like - human chains, rallies and processions, too. Regardless of the organising party, some common young faces are always visible in different political programmes.
According to experts working in this field, most of the street children sleep in parks, trains, buses, launch stations and under government buildings. Taking advantage of their vulnerability security guards and members of the law-enforcement agencies torture them in many cases.
Organisations working with the street children said 80 per cent street children are addicted, and engaged in criminal activities by the time they are seven.
A survey on such delinquent children revealed that 16 per cent of them were involved in hurling bombs, while 44 per cent were taking and selling drugs, 35 per cent in picketing, 12 per cent in hijacking, 11 per cent in trafficking, and 21 per cent in other criminal activities. Five per cent of the street children were being used as sources for illicit activities.
"Children are mainly engaged in criminal activities for two reasons. Firstly, they are being used by criminal gangs, and secondly they do not know the consequences of what they are doing. Broken family and poor family environment are also responsible for it," said an UNICEF expert.
He stressed the need for coordinated efforts of all concerned to ensure equal opportunity for every child, so that they can have access to education, health, medicare and other facilities for developing their potential in becoming worthy citizens to lead the nation in future, the expert added.
Advocate Elina Khan, a leading human rights activists stressed enhanced and coordinated efforts of the government, non-government organisations and civil society in stopping use of children in violence for political gain.
Political leaders should be more conscientious and understand that children are the future of the country. If their lives are destroyed, so would be the country. The apex court has also given a directive to this end, she added.