Bangladesh launches child protection helpline 1098, PM calls for awareness to stop child abuse

Bangladesh has launched a toll-free helpline for children facing violence, abuse and exploitation.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina officially launched the helpline, 1098, on Thursday at her official residence the Gana Bhaban.

The nationwide helpline will facilitate reporting abuse, child rights violation or any other kind of incident disrupting the protection of children.

Speaking at the launch, Hasina stressed creating awareness to stop child abuse. "The social welfare ministry will have to play the leading role to this end."

The helpline was launched amid national outrage over the rape of a five-year-old child in Dinajpur.

The national child helpline project will be implemented by the Ministry of Social Welfare with financial and technical assistance from UNICEF.

Any child at risk of violence will be able to receive help by calling 1098.

The helpline had been unofficially active since December 2015.

The helpline had been able to prevent 379 cases of child marriage and give legal, educational and medical aid 2,070 children thus far, officials said.

The prime minister called the initiative a ‘huge step’ to protect children in the country and said people of all classes and backgrounds would benefit from it.

Hasina also took the opportunity to speak with several victims of child abuse.

The prime minister officially launched the initiative with a call to the Department of Social Services in Agargaon.

“I hereby officially launch the child abuse helpline,” she said. “Those of us who work on this initiative must be vigilant. We must help however we can, so every child knows they can call us when they are in danger and every abuser knows us and is afraid.”

“People may try to take unfair advantage of this system,” she said. “It is necessary to have appropriate punishments for those who attempt to abuse it.”

At the ceremony the prime minister spoke on the importance of raising awareness about the dangers of child marriage.

“We must teach people that they cannot absolve themselves of responsibility by marrying of their children. We must teach them of the importance of education and letting children stand on their own,” she said.

She also spoke of settling judicial cases through an online court system in the future.

“In the future it may be possible to institute an online court system that can try and sentence cases,” she said. “This is especially important for cases involving children.”

“It is very important to our society that children in dangerous situations are able to receive proper help,” she said. “Hopefully, this will also reduce the incidence of these crimes.”

Finally, the prime minister urged everyone to be aware and vigilant.

“We all have parents and children. We must ensure the safety and wellbeing of all children the way we try to ensure that of our own child,” she said.