Harsh punishment for child abusers sought

Children, guardians, educationists, poets, and litterateurs yesterday raised their voice against killing and oppression of children and demanded harsh punishment for the culprits.

Recently there has been a rise in the killing and torture of children. The latest came on February 29 when a woman was found to have strangled her two kids -- daughter Nusrat Aman Aroni, 14, and son Alvi Aman, 6 -- in the capital's Banasree.

Women's rights activist Shyamoli Nasrin Chowdhury said the crimes should be punished by speedy tribunals; otherwise it was not going to stop.

Those who torture and kill children are worse than beasts, she told a protest programme at the capital's Central Shaheed Minar, where students of Bangladesh Shishu Academy, the organiser, raised their voice through cultural performances.

Litterateur Rashid Haidar demanded stern action so that none could dare kill or torture children anymore.

"We can't let it go, and we have to be united against it," he said.

Lawmaker and poet Kazi Rosy said, "A mother cannot kill her son or daughter. If it is proved that the mother was the culprit, we will not expect any mother like her in the country."

Selina Hussain, chairman of Bangladesh Shishu Academy, said they would hold human chains in all 64 districts at the same time on March 31 to protest killing and torture of children.

She said they would also hold more programmes across the country for three months.