On 18 July 2010, two human rights and legal aid organizations in Bangladesh, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) and Ain-o-Shalish Kendra (ASK), filed a writ petition in the public interest challenging the systematic failure of the state to take action to investigate serious allegations of corporal punishment in primary and secondary educational institutions and madrasas, to take necessary action against those responsible, and to prevent further incidents.
The writ followed reports in the national press of fourteen separate incidents occurring between March to July 2010 concerning allegations of serious violence, including caning, beating and chaining of boys and girls by teachers, culminating in the suicide of a ten-year-old boy following a reported beating in school.
On 13 January 2011, the Supreme Court of Bangladesh delivered its judgment[1] stating unequivocally that corporal punishment in educational institutions is a basic violation of children's rights, in particular of their fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 27, 31, 32 and 35(5) of the Constitution of Bangladesh. The Court also found violations of the state's international obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).
The Supreme Court directed the government to take steps to repeal laws related to corporal punishment:
We are of the view that laws which allow corporal punishment, including whipping under the Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, Railways Act, Cantonment Pure Food Act, Whipping Act, Suppression of Immoral Traffic Act, Children Rules, 1976 and any other law which provides for whipping or caning of children and any other persons, should be repealed immediately by appropriate legislation as being cruel and degrading punishment contrary to the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
It further directed the Government to consider amending the Children Act, 1974 so as to make corporal punishment upon children "within the home and workplace" by "parents and employers" a punishable offense.
Subsequent Developments
In compliance with the Court's directives, the Ministry of Education acted promptly and issued the "Guidelines for the prohibition of corporal and mental punishment of students in educational institutions, 2011."[2] These guidelines are applicable to all educational institutions, including Government and Non-governmental primary schools, Secondary Schools, Higher Secondary Schools and Colleges, Vocational education institutions, Madrasas (till Aleem[3]).
The Guidelines define the nature of prohibited corporal punishment, both physical and psychological, and penalize any conduct by teachers and others in conflict with the Guidelines.
The Guidelines defined "psychological punishment" as making "any comment to any student in the classroom such as any obscene comment regarding parents, family, caste, race, religion, etc., making any indecent gesture or any behaviour that may create an untoward reaction in the mind of the student."[4]
Within two years, in June 2013, a new Children Act was passed in Bangladesh that repealed the Children Act, 1974 with the aim of bringing the country in line with provisions of international instruments such as the CRC, as well as decisions of the Bangladesh Supreme Court.[5] The Act imposes specific obligations to protect children from abuse. Section 70 states that "any person having the custody, charge or care of any child who abuses, neglects, forsakes, abandons them as unprotected, uses them for personal service or exposes them in an obscene way and thereby causes unnecessary suffering or injury by which the child's sight or hearing is damaged or injury to any limb or organ or causes mental derailment shall be deemed to have committed an offence under this Act."
The offence is punishable by imprisonment for up to five years, a fine of up to one lakh taka or both. While Section 70 addresses assaults, ill-treatment, neglect, and other forms of cruelty against children, it is inadequate in terms of explicitly protecting children from physical or humiliating punishment (PHP). This section should clearly prohibit physical, cruel, psychological and humiliating punishment, and recognize such acts as punishable offences.[6] It should be also including a list of actions (which constitute PHP), such as hitting a child with hands or objects, throwing a duster or chalk at students, and pulling hair.
Government Response
In recent years, important steps have been taken to end corporal punishment against children. Both Government and civil society have played active roles in creating a better environment for children at educational institutions. The National Children Policy, 2011 was a key milestone, which clearly states that all forms of physical and psychological punishment in educational institutions must be prohibited. It also promotes a child-friendly way of teaching so that children do not suffer any kinds of harm (Clause no. 6.5.6.). This policy further calls for actions to protect children from all kinds of violence, abuse, and exploitation, and encourages public awareness programs to stop such practices (Clause no. 6.7.1.).
As mandated by the National Action Plan for the Prevention of Violence Against Women and Children 2013-2025,[7] the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education and Ministry of Education started to create awareness activities in schools to inform both teachers and students about the negative impacts of violence against women and children in accordance with the National Children Policy.
Another major step was the introduction of the Child Helpline Number 1098 (1098 Helpline). It is a toll-free hotline number service where any child or concerned person can call to seek help in cases of violence, abuse, child labour, trafficking, or child marriage.[8] This helpline number is operated by the Department of Social Services under the Ministry of Social Welfare, with support from UNICEF. It began as a pilot project in 2010 in Dhaka and was launched across the country in 2016.[9] Now this helpline operates 24/7, providing emergency support, counselling, legal advice, and referrals for health, education and shelter.
In addition, the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, in partnership with UNICEF, launched the National Multimedia Campaign on the Prevention of Violence Against Children and Child Marriage. This campaign aims to build stronger systems and improve institutional capacity at both national and local levels to protect children.[10] Through community engagement, the campaign is raising awareness and promoting positive discipline approaches.
In recent years, the government has also implemented key policy tools, such as the Bullying and Ragging Prevention Policy 2023. This policy outlines preventive and corrective steps to ensure students' learning environments safe, respectful, and free of harassment. In order to ensure that such punishments are abolished, the Ministry of Education also issued an office order to strictly enforce and adhere to the "Guidelines for the prohibition of corporal and mental punishment of students in educational institutions 2011" requirements.[11]
Civil Society Initiatives
Civil society organizations in Bangladesh have also taken many important initiatives. BLAST has worked for years to increase awareness of the issue across the country through public discussions, consultations, and media coverage. It has organized a number of roundtables and stakeholder meetings in partnership with prominent media houses and civil society organizations. Teachers, journalists, researchers, community leaders, lawmakers, and legal professionals have attended these meetings, which have taken place in Dhaka and other areas. BLAST has used educational articles and radio shows to promote awareness of the detrimental impacts of punishment and the importance of positive discipline approaches.
In 2017, a coalition called "Coalition Towards Ending Physical and Humiliating Punishment Against Children (PHP Coalition)" was formed. This Coalition includes thirty organizations working together to end all forms of corporal punishment, whether at home, in school or in public places.[12] BLAST is working as a secretariat of this coalition. The PHP Coalition works to increase awareness among teachers, parents, lawyers and community leaders through radio program, seminar and awareness sessions. The PHP Coalition has outlined seven key demands, including amending the Children Act, 2013 and the Child Day-care Centre Act, 2021, incorporating PHP provisions in the proposed Education Act, revising teacher training curricula, and establishing a dedicated cell within the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs to investigate and act on complaints of PHP against children.[13]
BLAST and the PHP Coalition filed a proposal to the Ministry of Social Welfare in 2020 to amend the Children Act, 2013, with the objective of promptly addressing physical and demeaning child punishment in all contexts. The proposal was created after evaluating research from various bodies such as the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Bangladesh Law Commission, as well as collaborating with other legal and child rights experts.
Save the Children Bangladesh has also been at the forefront of this movement. Through training programs, workshops and community sessions, it helps parents, teachers and caregivers learn how to guide and discipline children without causing harm. It works closely with schools, communities and government bodies to develop child protection policies and push for legal reforms that clearly ban corporal punishment in homes and schools.[14] Its approach encourages open dialogue, sharing of knowledge, and behavior change at all levels of society. The British Council has also assisted madrasa instructors in understanding their role in promoting child protection in their communities and institutions by hosting safeguarding workshops for them.[15]
Concluding Remarks
The prior discussion demonstrates that both the government and civil society organizations in Bangladesh have taken significant steps to end corporal punishment of children, particularly in schools. The 2011 government guidelines, the Children Act, 2013, and different awareness campaigns have all helped to promote awareness and limit the use of physical and psychological punishment in educational institutions. Initiatives such as the Child Helpline 1098, national policies, training programs, and public campaigns have all contributed significantly to child protection.
However, some legal gaps still exist. For example, corporal punishment is not explicitly prohibited by the Children Act, 2013. The PHP Coalition's demands which include revising laws, improving teacher training, and establishing special complaint procedures, should be taken seriously by the government. At the same time, issues such as student bullying and harassment are becoming more common and require attention. As a result, it is essential to continue raising awareness and fostering strong societal support in order to put an end to such destructive practices. It is time for everyone including government, schools, parents, communities, and civil society to collaborate so that every child in Bangladesh can grow up in a safe, respected and supportive environment.
Mahbuba Akter is the Director (Advocacy and Communication) of the Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust, Bangladesh
Fahad Bin Siddique is the Senior Research Officer of the Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust, Bangladesh
For further information please contact: Communication Department, the Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust, Bangladesh, e-mail: communication@blast.org.bd.
[1] The full text of the High Court decision is available here: Writ Petition No. 5684 of 2010, Judgment on:13.01.2011, High Court Division, Supreme Court of Bangladesh, www.blast.org.bd/content/judgement/wp_5684of2010.pdf.
[2] The Guidelines define corporal punishment as "any kind of physical assault of any student' and include examples:
See full text of the Guidelines on pages 39-41 in Ending Corporal Punishment, BLAST and Save the Children, 2011, in this link: https://blast.org.bd/content/publications/cp-booklet-english.pdf.
[3] This is the diploma of Islamic upper secondary education. Students are educated at a school that is affiliated to the Bangladesh Madrasah Education Board. They also take their exams from the Board.
[4] Ending Corporal Punishment, BLAST and Save the Children, 2011, page 4.
[5] For a discussion of this law, see The Children Act 2013: A Commentary by Justice Imman Ali, BLAST and Penal Reform International, www.blast.org.bd/content/publications/The-Children-Act%202013.pdf.
[6] Key Findings and Protection Gaps - Physical and Humiliating Punishment of Children in Bangladesh, BLAST 2021, in this link: www.blast.org.bd/content/publications/Legal_Analysis.pdf.
[7] National Action Plan for the Prevention of Violence Against Women and Children 2013-2025, https://mowca.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/mowca.portal.gov.bd/page/bcf75e01_95e3_48ba_bfe4_3d88ea5f593c/Bangla-National-Actional-Plan-2013-2025.pdf
[8] 1098 Helpline, Department of Social Services, https://dss.gov.bd/site/page/bb38e6c2-e1b6-4798-82d5-9e261a7ea89b/%E0%A7%A7%E0%A7%A6%E0%A7%AF%E0%A7%AE-%E0%A6%B6%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B6%E0%A7%81-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%BE%E0%A7%9F%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BE%E0%A7%9F-%E0%A6%AB%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%A8.
[9] 1098 Helpline: A godsend for children in distress, The Daily Star, www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/1098-helpline-godsend-children-distress-3191081.
[10] 1098 Helpline, Department of Social Services, https://dss.gov.bd/site/page/bb38e6c2-e1b6-4798-82d5-9e261a7ea89b/%E0%A7%A7%E0%A7%A6%E0%A7%AF%E0%A7%AE-%E0%A6%B6%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B6%E0%A7%81-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%BE%E0%A7%9F%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BE%E0%A7%9F-%E0%A6%AB%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%A8.
[11] Strictly adhere to the "Guidelines for the prohibition of corporal and mental punishment of students in educational institutions 2011" Department of Secondary and Higher Education, https://dshe.portal.gov.bd/site/moedu_office_order/22a147a7-a8fd-48b9-843c-d683438baef2.
[12] Coalition Towards Ending Physical and Humiliating Punishment (PHP) Against Children, https://blastorg@blast.org.bd/content/PHP/About-ending-PHP-against-Children.pdf.
[13] Coalition Towards Ending Physical and Humiliating Punishment (PHP) Against Children, ibid.
[14] Violence is never the way: End Corporal Punishment, Save the Children, 23 May 2023, www.savethechildren.net/news/violence-never-way-end-corporal-punishment.
[15] British Council hosts safeguarding workshop for the madrasah teachers, Dhaka Tribune, 11 March 2025, www.dhakatribune.com/business/376017/british-council-hosts-safeguarding-workshop-for.