15,717 Children Missing in Seven Months, 2,038 Still Untraced: Police

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A total of 15,717 children went missing across Bangladesh between January and July 2026, of whom 2,038 remain unaccounted for.

The information was disclosed in a press release issued by the Police Headquarters on Thursday (3 September).

According to police, 13,679 of the missing children have been rescued or reunited with their families during this period. This means 13 percent of the missing children are yet to be found.

The press release noted that recent media reports had covered the disappearance of more than 15,000 children between January and July 2026, but those reports did not include follow-up information — such as how many children had been rescued or had returned to their families. Police said this omission had presented an incomplete picture of the situation, which risked causing confusion among the public.

To address the confusion and provide greater clarity, Police Headquarters verified the matter at the local level through the relevant police stations.

According to police data, 474 general diaries (GDs) were filed between January and July regarding children aged zero to nine who went missing. Of these, 406 have been rescued while 68 remain missing.

During the same period, 15,243 GDs were filed for missing children aged 10 to 17. Of these, 13,273 have been rescued while 1,970 remain untraced.

Police explained that younger children aged zero to nine typically go missing after losing their way while visiting unfamiliar places with family members, being unable to recall their family's names and address, or wandering off while trying to return home alone.

For the 10 to 17 age group, police cited a range of reasons including emotional grievances, academic pressure, fear of shame over involvement in wrongdoing, a desire for an independent lifestyle, attempts to extract money or other benefits from family members, domestic conflict and unrest, and the influence of friends or classmates.

Police also noted that as part of efforts to make policing more accessible, an online GD facility has been introduced, which has led to a significant rise in the number of missing person reports.

According to police figures, 17,808 missing-related GDs were filed in 2023, followed by 16,414 in 2024 and 22,550 in 2025.