Bangladesh becoming unsafe for children

Bangladesh is gradually becoming an unsafe place for children, observed eminent citizens at a programme organised on the 20th birth anniversary of murdered teenager Tanwir Muhammed Taqi yesterday.

Incidents of torture on children are increasing but the state has not taken any strict action against the perpetrators, they added.

"Our country has turned into a den for terrorism and crime," said Language Movement veteran and poet Ahmad Rafiq at the programme organised by Santras Nirmul Taqi Mancha in the Liberation War Museum of the capital.

The mancha organised the prize giving ceremony of Taqi National Art and Essay Competition.  

He expressed his anger at the delay in completing the trial for Taqi's murder. "The killers have been identified but they have not been tried yet," he said.

Educationist Prof Serajul Islam Chowdhury said the number of youths in different educations institutions is increasing, but they are not safe due to absence of state security measures.

Rafiur Rabbi, convener of the Taqi Mancha and also Taqi's father, questioned why Taqi's killers were not tried yet whereas Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced stern action against child oppressors.

Seventeen-year-old Taqi's body was found by the bank of the Shitalakkhya river in Narayanganj on March 6, 2013, two days after the boy had gone missing.

In 2014, Rab revealed that their investigation found involvement of Azmeri Osman, son of late Jatiya Party MP Nasim Osman and nephew of Awami League MP Shamim Osman, in the abduction and murder of Taqi.