Crimes and negative incidents against children increased considerably in 2018 as 271 children were killed after they became victims of rape, rape attempts, murder, sexual and physical abuse in the last calendar year, a study on Sunday has revealed.
Death toll of children for such crimes increased by 18 per cent in 2018 than that of 2017 when 223 children were killed, said a recent study of the Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF).
The study titled “Condition of Children in 2018: Analysing Newspapers,” was disclosed Sunday at a press conference held at the National Press Club, organised jointly by the MJF and UKAID.
The study shows apart from the dead children, another 1006 children also were victims of such heinous crimes.
The research is based on news published in six national dailies over children issues.
One of the most alarming findings is, some 129 children were abused by their teachers in 2018.
Involvement of children in crimes also increased in the last calendar year to 401 which was only 128 in 2017---a 213 per cent increase.
Besides, children’s death rate in road accidents also increased in 2018 to 545 which was 452 in 2017.
Kidnapping cases of children were 98 in 2018 which was 72 and 53 in 2017 and 2016 respectively, according to the study.
Executive director of MJF Saheen Anam presided over while programme coordinator of the same organisation Rafiza Shaheen presented the study.
Prof Shahnaz Huda, department of law at Dhaka University, senior asst secretary for the ministry of women and children affairs Rony Chakma, MJF media and communication coordinator Shahana Huda Ranjana, spoke, among others.
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