The UN Fact-Finding Mission’s report on the July uprising highlights the tragic exploitation of children by both the ruling Awami League government and opposition groups. According to the report, children were not only used as pawns in violent protests but also became victims of severe violence, including shootings, torture, and arbitrary detentions.
The UN report reveals that children, including high school students, madrasa pupils, and even street children, were drawn into the protests with fatal consequences. It notes that children made up 12-13% of total fatalities, with at least 118 killed, and many others left maimed or permanently disabled. The report details specific incidents where children were killed or harmed by indiscriminate gunfire from security forces, including a 17-year-old shot in the head by police, a 16-year-old boy who lost his leg, and a six-year-old girl shot while watching the protests from her rooftop.
Beyond gun violence, children faced arbitrary arrests, torture, and forced confessions. Several minors were reportedly detained in police stations and prisons, where they were subjected to ill-treatment. Some were tortured into making false confessions and, in some cases, sent to adult prisons despite their age.
The report also mentions claims that opposition groups paid children to participate in the protests, though no specific examples were provided. Critics like Shahana Huda Ranjana of the Manusher Jonno Foundation condemned both the government and opposition for involving children in such dangerous circumstances. She expressed deep concern about the increasing exploitation of vulnerable youth, particularly street children, in political movements.
Ranjana called for an end to using children as tools in political conflicts, emphasizing that they are the future and should not be sacrificed in such violent struggles.