As many as 41 children were killed in political violence alone last year, according to a report published yesterday by human rights organisation Manusher Jonno Foundation.
The report says 156 children fell victim to political unrest in 2013.
Of them, 41 were killed and 107 critically injured.
The report titled “Bangladesh Child Rights Situation 2013” was based on news reports published by six newspapers in the country.
Abdulla Al Mamun, programme coordinator of Manusher Jonno Foundation, presented the report at a programme held at the VIP lounge of the National Press Club yesterday.
The report states that a total of 5,305,886 children were affected by various accidents, including road crash, sexual harassment, torture etc in 2013.
Among them, 1,702 died while 1,100 were injured.
Of those who died, 1,104 children were killed in various incidents: 502 were drowned, 266 were killed in road accidents and 48 were electrocuted. A total of 267 children were raped in 2013 and of them 12 were killed and 239 sustained serious injuries.
Quoting newspaper sources, the report states that the number of child abduction increased last year, with 90 having been abducted. Two of them were killed.
Shaheen Anam, executive director of Manusher Jonno Foundation, said: “A good number of government and non-government organisations are working together to rein in violence against children.
“The scenario was more shocking than what we read in news reports published about the torture of children…All such news did not get media coverage.
“With the help of 15 organisations, we are trying to pull at least 45,000 children out of hazardous jobs within the next three years.”
Among others, Parveen Mahmud, managing director of Grameen Telecom Trust, Shahnaz Huda, chairman of the Dhaka University law department, and Shahana Huda, coordinator of the Media and Communications at Manusher Jonno Foundation, attended the programme.
