Children murdered for ransom

The recovery of three bodies of children from Rangpur and Tangail in one day, all of whom were kidnapped and subsequently murdered, exposes a disturbing trend in the country, one which we condemn in the strongest terms. The abductions of children in broad daylight also highlight the state of deteriorating law and order in the country and the appalling extent to which children are unsafe in their own schools and communities.

According to our reports, the kidnappers abducted the two children in Tangail when they had gone to a nearby school to watch the annual sports competition. The killers demanded one lakh taka as ransom from the families for their release. The children were later found dead, with their throats slit.

We are at a loss to comprehend what sort of perverse mentality leads a person to murder an innocent child for a mere one lakh taka! It is feared that the kidnapper in Rangpur, who is allegedly a distant family member, prior to killing the child, tortured him. We ask: what values are we, as a society, cultivating that we are creating monsters capable of such inhumane behaviour?

Last year was marked by ghastly incidents of child abuse, violence and murder. We recall, with horror, the gruesome murders of Rajon and Rakib, among others, and are distressed to note that incidents of brutalities against children in different forms are increasing.
We urge the government to end the pervasive culture of impunity which remains a major reason behind the growing occurrence of violence against children, and mete out exemplary punishment to the perpetrators as swiftly as it did in the case of Rajon and Rakib.