Why is the killing of children increasing in Bangladesh?

It is widely known that Bangladesh is a violent place for children, but the fact that startles us is that from September 2018 to June 2023 a whopping nearly 9000 were victims of violence and 2,590 children were killed during this period. Still worrying is the fact that of these incidents of violence only 24 criminals were sentenced against 4,675 cases.

Of these incidents, 3,596 were victims of rape and 580 were victims of physical abuse.

Why is the killing of children, or violence against children for that matter, increasing in society? At different times from different quarters, though various reasons are pointed out, the overall corrosion of moral values arising from the wrongly guided politics of the country is hardly talked about when speaking about violence against children.

Has that only violence against children increased in society? Not at all! Crimes of all sorts have increased and the ugly political atmosphere of Bangladesh is spawning many crimes including incidents of violence against children that mostly take place inside the household as well as in the neighbourhoods.

In a dialogue titled ‘Child Rights Situation and Actions in Bangladesh’ at the National Press Club on Wednesday where these figures of violence against children were revealed, the speakers failed to mention that the kind of politics that has been in practice in Bangladesh is not being able to generate hope in people about familial and social happiness.

An ideal atmosphere for children will exist in Bangladesh only if the elders lead a morally balanced life.

And if poisonous politics runs through society as blood runs through veins in the body, more crimes will take place in society along with crimes against children and women.

Sociologists point out that a lot of people living in society are yet to learn how to treat children fairly, the fact must be accepted that even though there are stringent laws for deterrence against violence, as they are hardly implemented, the problem is not only continuing, in reality, it is increasing also.

That is why to control violence, it is as much necessary to educate the members of the society as it is important to enforce the relevant laws in their words and spirit.

To decrease all crimes in society including the ones against children, it is vitally important to ensure saner societal and political conditions.