Justice Makers B’desh in France reported that 2,774 children and adolescents were arrested or detained across Bangladesh between September 23 and October 22. The rights organisation raised concerns over mass detentions and urged authorities to protect children’s legal rights.
At least 2,774 children and adolescents were arrested or detained across Bangladesh between September 23 and October 22, according to a monitoring report released by Justice Makers Bangladesh in France (JMBF). The human rights organisation expressed concern over the scale of the detentions, warning that the actual number could be higher because several incidents may not have been documented.
In its report published on Monday, JMBF recorded the arrests and detentions across 12 incidents and a series of operations spanning four divisions and eight districts. The organisation said its findings reflected cases identified through its monitoring activities, while some incidents might have remained outside its reporting network.
According to the report, Chattogram Division accounted for 2,418 cases, making it the division with the highest reported number. Sylhet Division recorded 300 cases, followed by Rajshahi with 50 and Barishal with six.
At the district level, Cumilla recorded the highest figure, with 2,035 children and adolescents reportedly arrested or detained. The report also documented operations in areas including Cumilla, Sylhet, Natore and Noakhali.
The monthly figures showed that 2,173 children and adolescents were arrested or detained between September 23 and September 30. Another 601 cases were recorded between October 1 and October 22, bringing the reported total to 2,774.
JMBF warned that the figures should be treated as a documented minimum rather than a complete account of all detentions during the period. It said incidents that went unreported or did not reach its monitoring network could mean the actual number was higher.
The rights organisation also questioned the use of police custody to regulate children’s and adolescents’ movement, participation in public gatherings and school attendance. It argued that taking minors into custody without an individualised, lawful and necessary justification could violate their right to liberty, even when they were subsequently released to their guardians.
“Children and adolescents must not be taken into police custody simply because they gather in public places, miss classes or are presumed to be potential offenders,” said Shahanur Islam, founding president of JMBF.
He stressed that police should establish a specific legal basis for each arrest and demonstrate why detention was necessary. He added that releasing children to their guardians after obtaining undertakings did not remove concerns about the legality of the initial detention.
The report highlighted the case of 16 school-going children and adolescents who were reportedly detained during class hours in Shahrasti upazila of Chandpur district and later released to their guardians. The incident raised concerns about the impact of detention on children’s education and their access to normal school activities.
JMBF also referred to mass operations in several districts, including Cumilla, Sylhet, Natore and Noakhali. The organisation questioned whether authorities had adequately considered alternatives to detention before taking children and adolescents into custody.
The report called on Bangladeshi authorities to end mass arrests and detentions of children and adolescents and review the legal grounds and necessity of each case. It urged officials to release those held without lawful justification and prioritise diversion measures and other appropriate alternatives to custody.
The organisation further called for children facing legal proceedings to have access to lawyers, contact with their families and support from probation services. It also urged independent investigations into allegations of arbitrary detention.
| Also Read: Virginia Tech Speeds Up Closure of Joint Programme With China’s Xidian… |
The findings have renewed attention to the protection of children’s rights during law-enforcement operations in Bangladesh. JMBF emphasised that decisions involving minors should be based on individual circumstances and applicable legal safeguards, rather than broad assumptions about their presence in public places or participation in gatherings.
The organisation maintained that protecting children’s liberty, education and access to legal assistance should remain central to any law-enforcement response involving minors. However, the figures and allegations cited in the report represent JMBF’s monitoring findings; the information provided did not include an official response from Bangladeshi authorities.
