Six-year-old Muntaha Aktar Jerin disappeared on the afternoon of November 3, when she went out to play with other children. Eight days later, his lifeless body was found in a pond, injured and with a rope tied around his neck.

Muntaha was killed by her former home teacher, Marzia Akhter Sumi, with the help of Marzia’s family. The teacher did this out of anger after being fired from his job.

The Muntaha murder case caught the nation’s attention from the moment the news of his disappearance broke. But the sad truth is that this is just one of countless such examples. And many others are unfortunately overlooked.

According to statistics from Ain o Salish Kendra, 454 children were killed from January to September this year. 77 of them were in the 0-6 age range, and 267 were in the 13-18 age range. Additionally, 521 more children were exposed to violence in the same period.

Meanwhile, according to the report of the Human Rights Commission, rape of children increased by 91 percent in October 2024 compared to September. About 74% of the total child rape cases occurred in Dhaka and Chattogram divisions.

Child labor is also very common in our country, and so is violence against child workers.

Last month, police rescued a 13-year-old domestic worker named Kalpana from a house in the capital’s Bashundhara residential area during a raid. The child, who was severely tortured, was found with 4 teeth removed and his body covered with burns and bruises.

According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) National Child Labor Survey 2022, 3.5 million children are working, an increase of 3% compared to the 2013 survey. Additionally, the Bangladesh Institute of Labor Studies (BILS) reported that 20 child workers died due to workplace violence in 2023.

Therefore, while we see children as the backbone of the nation, it is clear that we cannot protect them. The underlying causes of this crisis may be multifaceted, but the real problem is quite simple: Experts argue that protecting children has never been a real priority on the national agenda.

The approach of past governments has been simple: they can do little for the general population, but they do even less for minors because children do not influence political outcomes.

Gawher Nayeem Wahra, former UNICEF Child Protection Officer

It is time to establish a separate commission and eventually a special ministry for children to address this critical issue.

Gawher Nayeem Wahra, former UNICEF Child Protection Officer, lamented the systematic neglect of children, stating that individuals aged 0 to 18 make up approximately 45% of the population but receive little attention. “They don’t vote, so their interests are ignored,” Wahra said.

“The approach of past governments has been simple: they can do little for the general population, but they do even less for minors because children do not influence political outcomes,” he added.

He stated that there is also hypocrisy of the state in this regard. The Convention on the Rights of the Child was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 20 November 1989, and since then almost every government in the world – 195 countries – has been committed to doing their best to secure children’s rights and respect all children in the world. .

Bangladesh was one of the first two countries in Asia and one of the first 10 countries worldwide overall to ratify the CRC in August 1990. Its approval ensures a violence-free environment for all children.

“However, in practice, we have not yet seen any significant progress towards providing such an environment. In fact, I can say that not even the slightest effort has been made,” he said.

What is even more disturbing, according to Wahra, is that children’s needs are not adequately recognized within their own families, let alone in education and other important institutions.

“Decisions are often made without taking into account the needs of children,” he said, pointing out a shocking example: 21 children died in the bathroom or toilet in Dhaka in recent years. These deaths have been labeled as mere accidents, but they are rooted in ignorance and neglect of basic child safety.

Dhaka University Sociology Professor Salma Akhter echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the absence of children’s voices in national policy-making.

“We see a lot of public seminars and discussions these days, but there is very little focus on children. Even when these are done, the children themselves are rarely involved, their voices are not heard and their needs are not met,” he said.

He also highlighted several key reasons behind the recent increase in child violence. The most important of these is the increase in violent behavior across society, partly due to the influence of social media and mainstream films that glorify violence.

In addition, the weakening of family ties also plays an important role, and its impact manifests itself in various ways.

“Nowadays, both parents often have to work outside the home, leaving their children in the care of the home. These people, who often come from disadvantaged backgrounds exposed to violence, may unknowingly repeat the same behavior towards their children. Meanwhile, parents are also exhausted and frustrated. At the end of the day, children “They can also relieve stress,” he explained.

He also noted the increasing tolerance towards child violence. “In the past, when a child was mistreated by his parents, other family members, neighbors or bystanders would intervene. Now this situation has become so normalized that people rarely intervene,” Salma said.

Wahra believes that the lack of serious attention to the needs and problems of children is also evident from the fact that there is no dedicated ministry for children even after all these years.

“The ministry is integrated with women and children, but the majority of its focus is on women. This clearly shows that children’s issues are not a priority,” he said.

As a result, there is growing support for establishing a separate ministry for children.

Last month, the Manusher Jonno Foundation, one of Bangladesh’s leading non-governmental organizations focused on human rights and governance, called on the interim government to urgently establish a separate commission to address children-related issues.

Senior Coordinator Wasiur Rahman Tonmoy said: “Focusing on children’s issues within the unified ministry for women and children is often overshadowed. Discrimination and violence against women, which is also quite high in our country, naturally assumes great importance.” Program at the Manusher Jonno Foundation.

He suggested that these concerns could have been addressed more effectively if there had been a separate directorate dedicated to children or if the issue had not been addressed politically.

“We understand that the interim government is currently busy with various reform initiatives. Even so, children-related issues also need to be taken into account. They have already established several commissions and may create a commission to solve children-related issues as a starting point for addressing children-related issues. “This will not only ensure their protection, but also prioritize their education and other critical needs.” he added.