Last month, students in Bangladesh mass protests organized against the government, demanding an end to the “quota system” for government jobs as unemployment rises.
According to media reports, more than 200 people, including bystanders, have been killed in clashes with security forces.
Although authorities have withdrawn the system, fresh protests broke out in parts of the capital Dhaka on Friday, demanding accountability, reports said.
Protecting children is everyone’s responsibility
Sanjay Wijesekera, UNICEF The Regional Director for South Asia, who recently returned from Bangladesh, expressed deep concern about the impact of the violence and ongoing unrest.
UNICEF has now confirmed that at least 32 children were killed during the protests in July and many more were injured and detained. This is a terrible loss. UNICEF condemns all acts of violence.“, he said in a rack.
“Children must be protected at all times. It is everyone’s responsibility.“
Stop holding children
Mr Wijesekera also noted that there are reports of children being detained and stressed that it can be very frightening for a child to come into contact with the law or to come into conflict with it.
In line with international human rights law and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, of which Bangladesh is a signatory, he called for an end to the detention of children in all its forms.
“This means that Children should not be arrested or detained based on their presence in a particular location or because of their background.religion, or actions or beliefs of their family members,” he said.
Schools reopen
With the outbreak of protests, authorities ordered the closure of schools, causing some 30 million students from kindergarten to high school to miss 10 days of school, compounding learning losses caused by school closures earlier this year due to extreme temperatures, cyclones and floods.
Primary schools in many parts of Bangladesh are expected to reopen on August 4, but some 15.5 million schoolchildren will still be out of school.
Mr Wijesekera stressed the importance of reopening schools, resuming education and reuniting children with their friends and teachers.
“(It is) one of the best ways to help children recover from violence and keep them safe,” he said, adding: “The longer children, especially girls, are out of school, the less likely they are to return, putting their future at risk.“
