“We do not want a single child to go missing”
The Agrojatra Nari Forum has called for immediate and effective state measures to strengthen child protection and ensure the safe recovery of missing children in Bangladesh.
The organization held a human chain at 5pm on September 23 in front of Tokyo Square in Mohammadpur. Participants expressed concern over the growing number of children reported missing across the country and urged the authorities to take coordinated and timely action.
Speakers at the program said child disappearance should no longer be viewed as an isolated issue. It is closely connected with child protection, law enforcement, social security and institutional accountability. They stressed that every missing child deserves an urgent search and every possible effort should be made to ensure the child’s safe return to their family.
According to data from the Police Headquarters, 15,717 general diaries were filed over missing children across Bangladesh between January and July 2026. Of those children, 13,679 were reportedly rescued or returned to their families. However, the whereabouts of 2,038 children remained unknown.
Police data further show that 474 GDs involved children aged between zero and nine. Among them, 406 children were recovered, while 68 remained missing.
For children aged between 10 and 17, a total of 15,243 GDs were filed. Of these children, 13,273 were recovered, while 1,970 remained unaccounted for.
Police have identified several possible reasons behind children going missing. In the case of younger children, these include getting lost in unfamiliar places, being unable to provide their parents’ names or addresses, and wandering away while returning home alone.
For children aged 10 to 17, police have pointed to factors such as emotional distress, academic pressure, family conflicts and the influence of friends or classmates.
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Police have also noted that information about children who later return home is not always immediately updated in police records. As a result, the figures should be interpreted carefully and should not necessarily be considered a final count of children who remain permanently missing.
The issue has also raised concern because some children have been found dead after being reported missing.
According to a September 20 statement by Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), the bodies of 36 children who had gone missing were recovered between January and August 2026. The organization also recorded the deaths of 254 children in different incidents during the same period.
Speakers at the human chain said that the recovery of a missing child’s body should prompt a thorough investigation rather than being treated simply as an isolated criminal incident.
They called for investigations into how each child went missing, what steps authorities took to locate them, whether there was any negligence or lack of coordination, and whether anyone was responsible for the disappearance or subsequent death.
Key Demands
The Agrojatra Nari Forum called for several measures to strengthen child protection. These include immediate and effective searches for every missing child and special priority for the 2,038 children whose whereabouts remain unknown.
The organization also called for an integrated and regularly updated national database containing information on missing and recovered children. It urged better coordination among police, families, local administrations and child protection organizations.
The forum further demanded impartial investigations into cases where the bodies of missing children are recovered and accountability where negligence or dereliction of duty is established.
It also stressed that returning rescued children to their families should not be the only objective. Children who have experienced disappearance may require counseling, psychological support and safe rehabilitation depending on their circumstances.
The speakers emphasized that the disappearance of a child is not merely a private family tragedy. It is also a significant warning for the country’s overall child protection system.
They called on the authorities to strengthen preventive measures, improve coordination among relevant agencies and ensure that every missing child receives an urgent and effective search.
The human chain concluded with the message: “We do not want a single child to go missing.”
Organized by: Agrojatra Nari Forum
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