Staff Correspondent

A roundtable discussion titled "Safe Bangladesh for Children: What Needs to Be Done to Prevent Sexual Abuse and Exploitation" was held at 10:45 AM on Monday at Proagati Bhaban, Prothom Alo, Karwan Bazar, Dhaka, with a collective call to build a secure environment for minors.

Social Welfare Ministry Secretary Dr. Md. Abu Yusuf attended the event as the chief guest, while Dhaka Superintendent of Police Shamima Parveen was present as the special guest.

Addressing the gathering, SP Shamima Parveen stressed that ensuring child safety is not solely a family duty but a collective social and moral responsibility.

"There is no alternative to awareness in preventing child abuse," she said. "Families must foster friendly relationships with children so they can freely share their fears, problems, or any untoward incidents with guardians. Furthermore, parents must play a conscious and responsible role regarding children's use of the internet and social media."

She further underscored that alongside strict law enforcement, preventive measures, public awareness campaigns, and empathetic treatment toward victimized children are vital. She urged that any incident of child abuse must be reported promptly to law enforcement agencies rather than being hushed up.

The discussion focused heavily on raising social awareness, swift detection of abuse, timely reporting to appropriate authorities, ensuring psychological and physical safety for victims, and taking uncompromising legal action against perpetrators.

Among others, the meeting was attended by Md. Khalilur Rahman Khan of the NGO Affairs Bureau under the Prime Minister's Office; Dr. Rashedun Rawnak Khan, Associate Professor at the University of Dhaka; Rokhsana Sultana, Executive Director of Breaking the Silence; and Mohammad Zahidul Islam, Director of Breaking the Silence. Officials from various government tiers, child rights experts, media personnel, and invited guests also participated in the session.