A recent report from the UN Human Rights Office on the violent events in Bangladesh between July and August 2024 has exposed a deeply distressing reality, with an estimated 1,400 people killed—including over 100 children, according to UNICEF.
UNICEF, which has been documenting these incidents, expressed its grief over the loss of young lives. “We mourn every one of them,” stated Rana Flowers, UNICEF’s representative in Bangladesh. The report highlighted severe human rights violations, including gender-based violence, arbitrary arrests, and torture of children.
Among the horrifying cases was a 12-year-old protester in Dhanmondi who died from internal bleeding after being struck by 200 metal shot pellets. A six-year-old girl in Narayanganj was fatally shot in the head while watching clashes from her rooftop. On August 5, one of the deadliest days, a 12-year-old in Azampur described police firing “everywhere like rainfall,” witnessing multiple deaths.
UNICEF called for urgent action on three fronts:
- Accountability and reconciliation for families mourning lost children.
- Justice and reintegration for detained and affected children.
- Catalytic reform to ensure policing and justice systems prevent such atrocities in the future.
The organization urged Bangladesh’s leaders to conduct independent investigations, reform the justice system to align with international child protection standards, and establish monitoring mechanisms to prevent future violations. They emphasized that children should not be criminalized but instead supported with rehabilitation programs and legal safeguards.
“This must never happen again,” UNICEF stressed, pledging its support for reforms that would protect children’s rights, ensure justice, and uphold their dignity and safety.
