At a time when two different days in a calendar year are dedicated to uphold and celebrate child rights worldwide, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) reports that a child is murdered by an act of violence every four minutes. What is particularly notable is that 'the majority of these violent deaths happen in countries that are not in active war zones'. This shows that children are endangered in their everyday life. How bone-chilling this revelation is!
The International Children's Day observed on June 01 annually and the World Children's Day designated by the United Nations for observance on November 20 marks the anniversary of the Conventions on the Rights of the Child. Clearly, observance of the two child-centric events has failed to exert any positive influence on debased mentality of elders at certain levels of society. Children should be the moving delight before not only the eyes of their parents but also of society in general. The very tender instinct governs the world of creation including all forms of living organisms, where human beings find their place at the top of the list.
However, the most rational beings account for both the highest virtues on the one hand and on the other, the worst crimes possible. No other animal can match the cruelty and perversion of the super animal at the top of the order. This explains why perverted members of human society so randomly commit sexual abuse on children before killing the innocent victims in most cases.
Bangladesh is one of the countries where such crimes are proliferating at a faster pace. According to Shishurai Sob (Children are All), a child rights organisation, 86 children in 78 incidents were killed and 336 other suffered sexual abuse in the past six months until June last. In 2025, 124 children were murdered and 308 incidents of sexual abuse were reported. Clearly, such deplorable incidents are on the rise.
The Ramisa, an eight-year second grade student, rape and murder case in the capital's Pallabi left the nation utterly shocked. In record time of 19 days, the court did dispose of the case, sentencing the accused, a neighbour to Ramisa's family, and his wife. But there is no evidence that sexual child abuse and child killings have shown any sign of deterrence. Not all child abuse and murder cases like that of Ramisa receive equal media exposure leading to outpouring of similar outrage. But each one of such macabre incidents is equally devilish.
Dark psychology is at work behind most such incidents. The perpetrators are mostly psychopaths but not all of them are. Apparently some are normal human beings but they are not. They can hide their real motive to deceive society. It is because of this, children are more vulnerable than one can imagine. The perpetrators exploit unsuspecting children's innocence. As the Shishurai Sob finds 50.59 per cent child killings took place in family ambience with parents, relatives, neighbours and familiar persons being involved. Although the highest 41.18 per cent of the murder occurred at public places such as roads, open fields, bazaars and spots closer to water bodies, in 34.12 per cent cases, parents, step-father, step-mother, close relatives were involved. Then 25.88 per cent killings were committed by neighbours and familiar people.
Data like these speak volume for the makeup of families and communities both of which are in decline. Sure enough, breakup of families due to hardship has been responsible for child abuse. Some children from broken families end up as street children if they can gather the courage to run away, others have to engage in child labour and the rest may either fall victim to violence or in rare cases are left alone to survive the hostile environment somehow.
Evidently, when children from poor and unfavourable backgrounds needed care for growing up as normal adults, society has failed to provide for them the minimum attention. The rise of teenage gangsterism is an outcome of lost childhood for generations of young people. There are other types of perversions and criminalisation these amenable segments of young population are exposed to. Of course, the number of girl children sexually abused and killed is higher than boys. They cannot run away from families like boys.
There are two aspects here: poverty-induced vulnerability of children and sexual predation. Sexual perversion can take its toll irrespective of social status. Yet, it is more likely to affect the lower echelon of society. In such an environment, it is not easy to cure the diseased minds. Protection of children cannot be ensured by any government if the rot takes effects at the family and community levels. In that case, child-sensitive judicial system backed up by sports and cultural programmes at schools and community level can gradually bring about some positive changes.
Children of poor and marginal families have to be integrated with the process of education, sports and cultural programmes. Recently, the prime minister stated at a function of Notun Kuri that the nation is looking forward to children for deliverance. Yes, that is the least the nation can expect from children. But before expecting their elevated attainment, they must be provided with the right socio-economic and cultural environment for them to flourish. In this context, a child commission can be formed assigning it with the responsibility of strengthening child protection measures.
nilratanhalder2000@yahoo.com