Incidents of child rape witnessed an alarming rise in the first eight months of the current calendar year compared to the corresponding period of last year, says a report released by a child rights organisation.
However, the incidents of murder and suicide of children marked a slight decline from January to August 2019 compared to the same period of 2018, according to Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum (BSAF).
At least 697 children were reportedly raped during the period between January and August this year while the number was 441 last year.
The BSAF data showed that at least 285 children were killed and 133 committed suicide in the first eight months of 2019 while 277 children were killed and 220 committed suicide in the same period of last year.
The number of total rape and murder incidents was 85 and 201 respectively in 2012, 150 and 180 in 2013, 199 and 366 in 2014, 521 and 292 in 2015, 446 and 265 in 2016 and 593 and 399 in 2017.
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