Violence against children on rise for impunity
Incidents of child repression have increased alarmingly this year mainly because of the culture of impunity, claims a non-government report.
A total of 62 children were raped between January and June last year while this year in its first six months has experienced 230 child rapes, said the report jointly prepared by Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum (BSAF), Terre des Hommes- Nederlands, and World Vision Bangladesh.
Besides, 55 children committed suicide and 136 others were killed in road accidents in 2014 during the aforementioned period while this year has seen 126 suicides and 281 deaths in road accidents. The statistics, prepared on the basis of news reports of 10 national dailies and information of different child rights bodies, was revealed at a press briefing on state of child rights in Bangladesh organised by the three organisations at Dhaka Reporters' Unity.
BSAF Chairperson Emranul Huq Chowdhury said even though around 45 percent of the country's population are children, there is a lack of political will to protect child rights properly. National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Member Kazi Reazul Hoque said the situation would have improved, if the existing laws were enforced strictly. Eminent human rights activist Barrister Sara Hossain suggested that the child rights bodies collect information about child rights violation from police records and courts for preparing more accurate reports on child rights status in the country.
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