Expressing profound alarm over the surge in child disappearances and child trafficking across Bangladesh, a human chain demonstration was held today demanding the immediate, safe rescue of missing children and robust state action to ensure child safety. The demonstration was organized jointly by Ograjatra Nari Forum and allied rights groups in front of Tokyo Square in Mohammadpur, Dhaka, at 5:00 PM.
The program was presided over by Zakia Shishir, Convener of Ograjatra Nari Forum. Key speakers included Aminul Islam Bakul, Chief Executive of Earth Development Foundation; Mehnaz Mala, Member Secretary of Ograjatra Nari Forum; Faisal Ahmed, Editor of River Bangla; Nazrana Shabnam, Vice President of Nari Kantha; Shakila Parvin, Chief Executive of Seemanta; Zakia Jahan, Chief Executive of BRAVE; social activist Mahabubul Haque; cultural activist Dr. Abdul Wahab; and environmentalist Abdul Mazid Antar, among other civil society representatives.
Addressing the gathering, participants stressed that child disappearances can no longer be viewed as isolated incidents, but rather represent a growing national crisis. According to Police Headquarters data cited during the demonstration, 15,717 General Diaries (GDs) concerning missing children were filed nationwide between January and July 2026. While 13,679 individuals were successfully recovered, 2,038 children remain unaccounted for, including 68 children aged nine and under and 1,970 children aged ten to seventeen. Speakers also cited data from Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) revealing that between January and August of this year, the bodies of at least 36 children were discovered after going missing, spreading acute fear and distress among families across the country.
The organizers presented an urgent set of institutional demands to state authorities, calling for prioritized and rapid rescue operations for the 2,038 missing children. They emphasized the necessity of launching immediate investigations and threat evaluations as soon as a disappearance is reported, alongside structured coordination among law enforcement divisions such as the regular police, the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), the Detective Branch (DB), and the Department of Social Services. The forum further urged the immediate rollout of a centralized, regularly updated national missing-child database to determine whether cases involve organized trafficking, abduction, or violence. They also called for mandatory progress updates for affected parents, professional counseling and secure reintegration for rescued children, and strict administrative accountability whenever negligence occurs in official handling.
In their closing remarks, forum leaders affirmed that no family should have to endure prolonged uncertainty over a missing child, urging the state to take swift, uncompromised measures to return all missing children home safely.