DHAKA — The bodies of at least 36 children reported missing were recovered across Bangladesh during the first eight months of 2026, raising fresh concerns over child safety and protection, according to data compiled by the human rights organisation Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK).
ASK’s figures, based on reports published in various media outlets, cover January through August. The organisation recorded 155 child deaths during the period in cases involving disappearance, killing, rape, physical abuse and other forms of violence.
Of the 155 deaths, 68 were attributed to physical abuse, while 49 occurred in domestic settings. Twenty-six children, including two boys, were reportedly killed after rape, while four were killed following attempted rape.
The data also included three children killed by gunfire, two domestic workers who died after physical abuse, two children killed by alleged stalkers and one child reportedly killed after abduction.
ASK also documented 99 other cases involving suicide, unexplained deaths and recovery of children’s bodies.
Recent cases have highlighted the risks faced by children after going missing. In Cumilla, the body of 13-year-old Ishayat Shahriar, known as Opritom, was recovered from a forested area of Lalmai on Sept. 19 after he went missing.
In Jamalpur’s Madarganj, a seven-year-old child went missing after leaving for school on Sept. 10. Her body was recovered two days later, buried beneath the floor of a classmate’s home. Police alleged that the classmate’s father raped and killed her. Two people were arrested in connection with the case.
In another recent case, the body of a 10-year-old child who went missing in Pabna Sadar on Sept. 9 was recovered from a pond seven days later. Police said the child had been raped and killed, and two people were arrested.
Children killed alongside family members
Several recent cases have also involved children being killed alongside other members of their families.
In Lakshmipur’s Raipur, a mother and three daughters were hacked to death at a rented home on June 25. One of the daughters was 10 years old, while the other two were 17 and 21.
In August, retired teacher Ganapati Chakraborty, his wife, adult daughter and 12-year-old son Ayush were killed in Rangpur.
In Madaripur’s Shibchar, the body of a woman was recovered, followed five days later by the discovery of her one-year-old child’s body from a river. Police said the mother and child had been killed.
On the night of Sept. 18, three children aged 10, seven and two were killed in Tahirpur, Sunamganj, in another incident involving members of the same family.
Beyond cases involving children, police headquarters recorded 2,362 murder cases nationwide between January and August, an average of about 295 cases a month.
More than 2,000 children remain missing
The number of children who remain missing has also emerged as a major concern.
According to Bangladesh Police Headquarters, 15,717 children were reported missing during the first seven months of 2026. Of them, 13,679, or more than 87%, had been recovered.
That leaves 2,038 children — about 13% of those reported missing — still unaccounted for.
The figures have intensified concerns over the effectiveness of existing child-protection mechanisms.
UNICEF expressed concern in May over the rape and killing of children in Bangladesh and called for an end to impunity. The agency also urged authorities to strengthen child-friendly policing and judicial procedures, reporting mechanisms, local protection services and psychosocial support.
Fatema Rezina Iqbal, chair of the Department of Sociology at the University of Dhaka, said the violence against children was deeply concerning and raised questions about whether children could feel safe at home, in public spaces or while spending time with friends.
She said such crimes could involve various factors, including family disputes, retaliation and violence among adults in which children become victims. She also called for swift legal proceedings and accountability in such cases.
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