Tahsin and Kawsar: Stories of Multiple Child Abductions  

In Dhaka’s Hazaribagh, two siblings, Tabassum (6) and Tahsin (2 years, 4 months), were playing in front of their house. A woman wearing a burqa approached and started chatting with their grandmother. When the grandmother went inside, the woman took the children to a nearby shop and bought them chips. While Tabassum returned home with the chips, the woman walked away with Tahsin in her arms. This incident, which occurred on March 21, was captured on CCTV footage.  

Tahsin’s father, Nurul Islam, filed an abduction case at the Hazaribagh Police Station. Initially, the investigation was led by Sub-Inspector (SI) Saiful Islam. Later, the case was transferred to the Detective Branch (DB). Ten days after the incident, DB police successfully rescued Tahsin.  

Another Child Rescued at the Medical College Toilet  

On November 3, at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, a woman was found dunking a 2.5-year-old child in a bucket of water inside a toilet. An Ansar member witnessed the incident and rescued the child. It was later discovered that the child’s name was Md. Kawsar, and the woman, Marina Akter, was mentally unstable. The authorities identified Kawsar’s family and returned him safely.  

The Tragedy of Munta and Other Incidents  

Not all children, however, are as fortunate as Tahsin and Kawsar. Munta (5), from Sylhet, went missing and was found dead seven days later. Similarly, Sadiya Khatun (7) from Jessore was found dead just hours after her disappearance.  

Additionally, on November 15, a criminal gang abducted an eight-month-old child during a robbery in Azimpur. The child was later rescued from Mohammadpur.  

The State of Child Abductions  

According to the Police Headquarters, 695 child abduction cases were reported nationwide between January and September of this year. Of these, 29% of the children remain unrescued.  

Recommendations for Solutions 

Professor Muhammad Umar Faruq, Chair of the Department of Criminology and Police Science at Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, emphasized the need for increased public awareness regarding sensitive behavior towards children. He remarked, “Many unrescued children might have been killed, but without recovering their bodies, the police often label these cases as ‘missing’ and close them.”