Ain-o-Salish Kendra (ASK) has expressed deep concern over the lives and security of children following the recovery of the body of 13-year-old Ishayat Shahriar Apratim, who had gone missing in Cumilla.
The human rights organisation noted that recent incidents across various parts of the country – including the recovery of bodies after children go missing, murder following rape, torture, and other acts of violence – have created severe apprehension regarding children’s safety.
According to statistics collected by ASK, the bodies of 36 children were recovered after going missing between January and August 2026. During the same period, ASK’s monitoring recorded a total of 254 child deaths across various incidents.
Meanwhile, data from Police Headquarters reveals that 15,717 children were reported missing between January and July. Although 13,679 of these children were rescued, 2,038 children remain missing.
Police noted, however, that because missing reports were not subsequently updated, there is a possibility of confusion in these statistics.
Demanding justice, ASK called for swift, impartial, and transparent investigations into every incident of missing children who were killed, including Apratim, and urged that those involved be brought under the law.
The organisation also demanded that relevant personnel be brought to accountability if there was any negligence or oversight in performing duties to rescue missing children.
ASK emphasised that the recovery of a child’s body after going missing is in no way a normal situation.
It stressed that prompt and effective responses from state institutions, coordinated preventive measures, and strict accountability are essential to ensure a safe environment for children.
