Child prisoners of Bangladesh – in pictures

Bangladeshi children who have been arrested are sometimes held in filthy, cramped cells with convicted adult criminals; many suffer physical and emotional abuse. The UN children’s agency, Unicef, has joined forces with the law firm DLA Piper to bolster the standard of care and treatment of children who come into contact with the law as victims, witnesses and offenders

theguardian.com, Friday 1 August 2014 06.06 EDT

More than 12,000 people reside in impoverished conditions in the Railway Slum of Khulna, one of Bangladesh’s most poverty stricken urban areas. — More than 12,000 people live in Khulna slum, one of Bangladesh’s poorest urban areas. About 30% of local children who are not in school are reportedly labourers. Another 20% are not in school or work, and risk getting involved in crime. The justice system is straining under a lack of resources. Photograph: Jannatul Mawa/Unicef

Badal* (aged 14 and pictured to the left and below left) currently lives with his mother (also pictured) in a small thatched roof house in Khulna’s Railway Slum. Two years ago he was arrested and beaten by police for stealing and selling pigeons. *A pseudonym has been used to protect Badal’s identity — Badal (not his real name) lives with his mother in a small thatched-roof house in the slum. Two years ago, when he was 12, he was arrested and beaten by police for stealing and selling pigeons. Photograph: Jannatul Mawa/Unicef

“There were five us in a small cell, three adults, me and another child who was older than me”, says Badal. “I was 12 years old at the time. I remember being hit three times with a police baton and feeling very bad about what had happened.” — ‘There were five of us in a small cell: three adults, me and another child who was older than me,’ Badal says. ‘I remember being hit three times with a baton and feeling very bad about what had happened.’ Photograph: Jannatul Mawa/Unicef

Badal was released from police custody following intervention of a UNICEF-supported Child Protection Committee helping children who end up in conflict with the law to be reintegrated back into their communities. — Badal was released after the intervention of a Unicef-supported child protection committee that helps children in trouble with the law to be reintegrated into their communities. Photograph: Jannatul Mawa/Unicef

After months of counselling and educational support Badal has rebuilt his life and is now part of a life skills initiative helping him to learn how to rear and care for pigeons. — After months of counselling and educational support, Badal has rebuilt his life and is now part of a life skills initiative helping him learn how to rear pigeons. Photograph: Jannatul Mawa/Unicef

The project is being funded by multinational law firm DLA Piper as part of a partnership with UNICEF. The partnership, championed by Tony Angel, DLA Piper’s Global Co-chair (pictured with Badal to the right) is working with the legal authorities to help transform the standards of care and protection for children who encounter the law as victims, witnesses and offenders. — The project is funded by DLA Piper in partnership with Unicef. Tony Angel, the law firm’s global co-chairman, is pictured here with Badal. Photograph: Jannatul Mawa/Unicef

Like Badal, Masood*, who is aged 17 and an automobile engineering student, has experienced what it’s like to be on the wrong end of the law in Khulna. Eighteen months ago he was arrested after he witnessed the hijacking of an auto rickshaw and the stabbing of its owner. — Masood (not his real name) is 17 and an engineering student. He, too, has experienced what it’s like to be on the wrong side of the law in Khulna. Eighteen months ago he was arrested after he saw a rickshaw being hijacked and its owner stabbed. Photograph: Jannatul Mawa/Unicef

“They tied my hands and started hitting me on my back with their batons and saying lots of bad things to me. I was beaten severely, afterwards the police sent me to Khulna Jail where adult prisoners are held. I was there for three nights. I was 15 at the time. — ‘They tied my hands and started hitting me on my back with their batons and saying lots of bad things to me. I was beaten severely. Afterwards the police sent me to Khulna jail where adult prisoners are held. I was there for three nights.’ Photograph: Jannatul Mawa/Unicef

“Because it was winter I was suffering because I didn’t have enough warm clothes and I was surrounded by seasoned adult criminals who were smoking.” After being detained alongside adult prisoners Masood was moved to a state-run Juvenile Detention Centre in Jessore. In Bangladesh these facilities are known as Kishore Unnayan Kendras. — ‘It was winter and I was suffering because I didn’t have enough warm clothes. I was surrounded by seasoned criminals and the conditions in the prison were bad,’ Masood says. Here, an armed guard walks through the gate of a juvenile detention centre in Jessore. Photograph: Jannatul Mawa/Unicef

“Because it was winter I was suffering because I didn’t haveenough warm clothes and I was surrounded by seasoned adult criminals who were smoking. The conditions in the prison were bad. It was a bad experience.” — After being detained alongside adult prisoners, Masood was moved to a state-run juvenile detention centre in Jessore. In Bangladesh these facilities are known as Kishore Unnayan Kendras. Photograph: Jannatul Mawa/Unicef

More than 140 boys are currently detained at the facility in Jessore. It is one of only three Juvenile Detention Centres in Bangladesh, a country that is home to 68 million children, a number larger than the entire number of people living in the UK. A boy cycles past the entrance of Jessore’s Juvenile Development centre. — More than 140 boys are detained at the facility in Jessore. It is one of three juvenile detention centres in Bangladesh, which is home to 70 million children. Here, a boy cycles past the entrance of the Jessore centre. Photograph: Jannatul Mawa/Unicef

Masood was freed after a Child Protection Group backed by UNICEF heard about his case and lobbied local law enforcement officials for his release. Masood sits on the back of his rickshaw and talks to a friend. — Masood, sat on the back of his rickshaw with a friend, was freed after a child protection group lobbied local law enforcement officials for his release. Photograph: Jannatul Mawa/Unicef

Child Protection Committees in Khulna and Jessore are comprised of local men and women working with families and police to help protect the welfare of children come into contact with the law as witnesses, victims or offenders. A local woman speaking at a Child Protection Committee meeting — Child protection committees in Khulna and Jessore comprise local men and women working with families and police to help protect children who come into contact with the law as witnesses, victims or offenders. Photograph: Jannatul Mawa/Unicef

Committees work in different wards located across Khulna and Jessore and are comprised of teachers, parents, community elders and religious leaders. They help to tackle reoffending and the social exclusion of vulnerable children and young people. — Committees consisting of teachers, parents, community elders and religious leaders work in wards across Khulna and Jessore. They help to tackle reoffending and the social exclusion of vulnerable children and young people. Photograph: Jannatul Mawa/Unicef

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