Zakir Hossain from Dhaka
A new report has revealed that nine in 10 children in Bangladesh aged 1–14 face physical or psychological abuse, mostly at the hands of parents, teachers or guardians.
Citing UNICEF data, the study also said nearly 7% of children (5–17 years) are in child labour, many in hazardous conditions. Findings were shared at a Dhaka seminar titled “Community-Based Child Protection Mechanism for the Children of Garment Workers in Bangladesh”, organised by Terre des Hommes Netherlands, Breaking the Silence, and VERC.
Nurul Kabir of TDH-NL warned: “Bangladesh has 102 child courts, but over 23,000 cases involving children are still pending. Compared to last year, abuse against girl children has risen by 75%. In the first seven months of 2025 alone, 306 children were victims of violence.”
He flagged the dangers of digital platforms, saying exposure to pornography and harmful content was damaging mental health. Children of garment workers were identified as particularly vulnerable, often facing abuse, exploitation, drug use and denial of education.
The seminar recommended setting up specialised police child protection units, fast-tracking rape trials within 90 days, and creating a child-friendly national justice framework.