Save children from sexual exploitation
Our society's failure to ensure a safe and secure childhood for children—especially girls—continues to be reflected in various statistics, whether on child labour, physical or sexual violence, or commercial sexual exploitation of children. Unfortunately, these figures often remain just numbers as policymakers, politicians, and public institutions fail to take meaningful action or allocate sufficient resources based on the findings. One such alarming statistic was shared at a recent event, where the International Justice Mission, an anti-slavery organisation, estimated that 20 to 50 percent of Bangladesh's sex trade involves minors. The estimate draws on several recent studies.
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For instance, a 2024 study by Freedom Fund on Dhaka's sex workers found that 22 percent of both street-based and brothel-based sex workers are under 17. The US State Department's 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report: Bangladesh estimated that 30,000 girls became victims of child sex trafficking across the country. Climate migration and poverty often make children vulnerable to sex traffickers, pushing them towards the trade not just in brothels and streets but also in hotels, spas, massage parlours, and private homes.
In fact, a UNICEF report on Bangladesh last year noted that more than 34 lakh children live in "street-situations" without parental care. While they are more vulnerable to sex traders, many girls growing up with parental care, too, may become victim because of child marriage. Young girls escaping abusive marriages also often fall prey to traffickers. Most victims do not have the choice of refusal, as that often ends in serious consequences, including physical, sexual and emotional violence, along with deprivation of basic needs.
Despite this grave threat, our policy response remains minimal. Law enforcers seem more focused on controlling political unrest, for example, than on apprehending sex traffickers and individuals running sex trades. Broader policies aimed at addressing poverty and climate migration are inadequate. Social safety net benefits often fall short of ensuring sustainable livelihoods and frequently fail to reach the most vulnerable populations. Child marriage continues to be a problem among vulnerable and marginalised communities, with Bangladesh having the highest prevalence rate in all of South Asia. Meanwhile, legal loopholes, systemic barriers, and low convictions of cases filed under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act embolden criminals involved in sex trades.
Simultaneously, the lack of safe and well-equipped shelter homes for trafficking survivors and street children leaves many continuously vulnerable to exploitation. Add to this the danger of online sexual exploitation. Though the previous government had tools to monitor social media activity, these were rarely used effectively to catch online offenders or recruitment networks. Under the circumstances, we can only hope that the current and future governments will place child safety at the forefront—by enforcing existing laws, innovating policy, and implementing holistic, long-term solutions to end child sex trafficking and ensure every child's right to a safe, secure life.
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