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Bangladesh recorded an alarming rise in child killings and sexual abuse during the first six months of 2026, with at least 86 children killed and 336 children sexually abused in 312 incidents, according to a new report by child rights organization Shishurai Shob.
The report, released on Monday, is based on incidents reported in the media and highlights a disturbing trend that many crimes against children are being committed by people known to them, including parents, relatives, neighbors, teachers and other familiar individuals.
According to the findings, the situation has worsened significantly compared with last year. Throughout 2025, the country recorded 124 child murders and 308 child victims of sexual abuse, while the first half of 2026 alone has already seen 86 child killings and 336 victims of sexual violence.
Of the children killed, 47 were girls, 36 were boys, while the identities of three victims could not be confirmed. Children aged up to six years were the most affected age group.
The report found that 50.59 percent of the murders occurred within family settings, either at the victims’ homes or at the homes of relatives. Another 41.18 percent took place in public spaces such as streets, fields, markets and water bodies.
An analysis of the perpetrators showed that parents were involved in 17 cases, close relatives in 11 cases, and neighbors or other acquaintances in 22 cases, meaning that more than half of the child murders were committed by people familiar to the victims.
The most common motives behind the killings were anger, family disputes and personal conflicts, accounting for 22.9 percent of the cases.
Police have arrested suspects in 44 of the 86 murder cases, while investigations into most of the remaining incidents are still ongoing.
The report also documented 336 child victims of sexual abuse in 312 incidents during the six-month period. Among the victims were 127 girls, 24 boys, while the gender of 185 victims was not specified in media reports.
Children aged 7 to 12 years were the most vulnerable, with 175 victims, representing 52.8 percent of all reported cases. Another 90 children aged up to six years were also subjected to sexual abuse.
The report identified 191 rape cases, 75 attempted rapes, 44 cases of repeated rape, and 26 gang rapes. The consequences were severe, with two child victims dying by suicide, 11 becoming pregnant, and 32 being killed after the assaults.
It also noted that at least 16 children with speech, intellectual or physical disabilities were victims of rape, attempted rape or repeated sexual abuse.
Laila Khandaker, convener of Shishurai Shob, described the growing violations of children’s rights as a national crisis. She called for speedy trials in crimes against children, the establishment of a National Child Commission, full implementation of the Children Act 2013, and mandatory child protection policies in educational institutions and other organizations to strengthen child safety.