By Motaher Hossain

Childhood is supposed to be a time of safety, affection and carefree growth. Yet for many children in Bangladesh, that sense of security is increasingly under threat. Violence within families, harassment and abuse in educational institutions, as well as incidents of children going missing or being abducted, are raising serious concerns about child safety.
What makes the situation particularly alarming is that many cases of abuse are allegedly committed by people known to the child. Fear, shame and social pressure often prevent children from speaking out. When a child goes missing, meanwhile, families are left facing uncertainty, anxiety and helplessness.

Protecting children cannot be the responsibility of law-enforcement agencies alone. Families, schools, communities and the state must work together to create an environment where children can speak freely, report abuse safely and receive immediate support.
According to police statistics, 15,717 general diaries (GDs) concerning missing children were filed across the country between January and July this year. Of these, 13,679 children were rescued or returned home, while 2,038 remained missing, accounting for around 13 per cent of the total.

The figures for previous years are also concerning. In 2023, 17,808 GDs related to missing children were filed. The number stood at 16,414 in 2024 and rose sharply to 22,550 in 2025. Police data also show that 642 cases of child abduction were filed in 2024 and 1,101 in 2025.
However, a comprehensive national database providing a complete picture of missing and abducted children remains lacking.

These figures offer a disturbing indication that childhood is becoming increasingly unsafe. Childhood should mean security, care and the freedom to grow without fear. The family should be a child's safest shelter, while educational institutions should provide a secure environment for learning and development.

Children face physical and psychological abuse at home, bullying and harassment at educational institutions, sexual abuse and, in some cases, disappearance or abduction. At an age when their hands should be holding books, schoolbags and toys, many children instead find themselves confronting fear, violence and uncertainty. One of the most troubling aspects of child abuse is that much of it takes place at the hands of people children know and trust.

Physical punishment in the name of discipline, humiliation, intimidation and prolonged psychological pressure can remain hidden within families. Some parents still consider harsh punishment a legitimate way of raising children. But such behaviour can have lasting consequences for a child's confidence, emotional development and ability to build healthy relationships.

Schools and other educational institutions also face serious challenges. When a child is harassed or abused by a teacher, employee or fellow student, they may be unable to report what has happened.

Fear of punishment, shame, social pressure or even the possibility of being scolded by parents can force children into silence. As a result, incidents may remain hidden while the psychological wounds suffered by the child deepen. This is why educational institutions need effective and child-friendly mechanisms for reporting abuse.

Child safety is not limited to protection from physical violence. Psychological abuse, bullying, humiliation, neglect, sexual harassment and online harassment are also serious threats to children's wellbeing.

Families and educational institutions therefore need to create an environment in which children feel safe enough to speak.
When a child makes a complaint, adults must not dismiss it as childish behaviour or exaggeration. Every complaint should be taken seriously, investigated carefully and addressed promptly.

The growing risk of children going missing or being abducted adds another dimension to the problem. A child may fail to return home after going to school, disappear while playing outside or become separated from family members.

In such circumstances, a rapid response is essential. The first few hours after a child goes missing can be particularly important. Families should therefore report the disappearance immediately to law-enforcement agencies and relevant authorities rather than delaying or concealing the matter.

The government has taken several initiatives to strengthen child protection. Among them is Child Helpline 1098, operated under the Department of Social Services of the Ministry of Social Welfare.

Children themselves, as well as parents, guardians or others, can call the toll-free number to report child abuse, violence, exploitation, trafficking and other violations of children's rights. The helpline operates around the clock and can provide assistance with rescue, counselling, legal support and coordination with relevant authorities.

Government data show that more than 2.2 million calls were received by Child Helpline 1098 between December 2015 and August 2025. Services were provided in more than 54,000 cases involving child abuse during the period. The helpline also provided legal assistance, psychosocial counselling and education-related support.

However, a helpline alone cannot guarantee children's safety.

What is needed is coordinated action involving families, educational institutions, local administrations, law-enforcement agencies and civil-society organisations.

Every school should have a clear child-protection policy and a safe mechanism through which students can report abuse. Teachers and staff should receive regular training, while parents should also be educated about children's rights and positive parenting.

Most importantly, adults must earn children's trust. Children should feel free to say where they feel unsafe, who is hurting them, why they do not want to go to school or whose behaviour makes them uncomfortable. Adults must listen carefully rather than dismissing their concerns. Where necessary, immediate action must follow.

A child's safety is not merely a family matter; it is a responsibility shared by society as a whole. The silent suffering of a child today can leave a lasting mark not only on that child but also on the society of tomorrow.

Therefore, preventing abuse is more important than seeking justice after abuse has occurred. Preventing abduction is more important than responding after a child has been abducted. And creating a safe environment is more important than beginning the search only after a child has disappeared.

A child's smile can be truly carefree only when they know that home, school and society are places of safety—not fear.
Ensuring child safety is not simply a matter of enforcing laws. It is a collective social responsibility. Love within the family, protection in educational institutions and awareness across society must come together to build a safer environment for every child.
Ensuring every child's right to a childhood free from fear should be a commitment shared by the state and society.

Motaher Hossain is Editor of Climate Journal 24.com and Secretary General of the Bangladesh Climate Change Journalists Forum.