Enhanced and coordinated efforts of government and non-government organisations and civil society should be engaged in stopping use of the children in the activities of violence for political gains, speakers told a discussion.
They were addressing a dialogue organised by National Children Task Force and Bangladesh Shishu Academy for the child students with guardians, government officials, teachers and persons engaged for bringing up and welfare of the children.
Divisional Commissioner Muhammad Dilwar Bakht addressed the dialogue as the chief guest with Deputy Commissioner Farid Ahammad in the chair at the latter’s conference room in the city.
Coordinator of NCTF Sadika Nawrine, Civil Surgeon Dr Reajul Islam, District Children Affairs Officer Zahedul Islam and General Secretary of District Shilpakola Academy Tauhidur Rahman Tutul were special guests.
Sadika Nawrine in her speech said 414 children were killed in 2012 in different violent incidents including, political violence, domestic violence, abduction for ransom, terrorism, enmity, robbery, illicit sexual relations, rape, dowry, eve-teasing and attacks by Border Security Forces of India.
Expressing concern over the huge number of deaths from violent activities, the speakers called upon all concerned to ensure safety, security, congenial atmosphere and other rights of children as per children’s policy of the government.
In his speech, the chief guest asked everybody for thinking about every child as their own son or daughter with a view to ultimately saving them from being used by various influential quarters in terrorist and violent activities for their political gains.
He stressed the need for coordinated efforts of all concerned to ensure equal opportunity for every child for education, health and medicare services and other facilities for flourishing their latent talents in becoming worthy citizens to lead the nation in future, he said.