Detention of children increased in Bangladesh amid Covid-19 outbreak, virtual courts a relief: Unicef

The number of children detained has increased since public court proceedings were postponed in March amid Covid-19 outbreak in the country, Unicef Bangladesh said today.

"Their number is now almost twice the capacity of the juvenile detention centres," the UN agency said in a statement, adding that more than 1,000 children awaiting trial or sentenced for petty crimes are currently held in three juvenile centres.

With limited staff and logistical support, and with inadequate water supply, sanitation and hygiene facilities, it is exceptionally difficult for children and staff at the centres to practice physical distancing or to self-isolate to minimise the risk of Covid-19 infection, Unicef said.

"These facilities can become hotspots of infection where the virus incubates and spreads," it added.

Amid this, a group of seven children were released on Wednesday through the newly set up virtual children's court. Several hundred children can be released in the next two weeks, Unicef said.

Unicef welcomed the release of the children.

Tomoo Hozumi, Unicef representative in Bangladesh, said, "I wholeheartedly commend the decision to introduce virtual children's courts and very much welcome the release of children from detention."

"The wellbeing and protection of children must be at the centre of our response to Covid-19. By acting with a sense of urgency on all fronts, we can prevent the pandemic from transforming into a lasting crisis for children," he said.

Virtual courts expedite the release of the children

Meanwhile, several virtual children's courts are expediting the trial of children in conflict with the law, with a view to releasing them from juvenile detention centres to avoid their possible infection with Covid-19, according to the statement released by Unicef.

The first-ever virtual children's court in Bangladesh began operating on Tuesday after President Abdul Hamid issued the ordinance to introduce virtual courts on May 9, it said.

The Supreme Court established the virtual children's courts with support from Unicef as a response to the disruption of regular court proceedings due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it added.

The UN agency also provides technical support to the Department of Social Services and the juvenile centres to manage the court procedures.

Unicef said it is working with the department of social services to help reunite the released children with their families by communicating with families and accompanying the children on their journey home.

It further supports safe reintegration into the family setting by facilitating access to health care and other services such as psychosocial support, violence prevention and response, and education.

Unicef stressed the need for further strengthening the court setup so that it caters better to the needs of children, alongside the country's existing juvenile justice system.

Unicef said it is actively working with the SC special committee on child rights and law ministry for improved justice for children, including child-friendly courts.

It said 16 out of 102 courts now offer a "less intimidating" environment and have staff that are trained on child rights.

Following the ordinance to introduce virtual courts, Unicef is now providing technical support to develop "practice directions" that aim to enhance the child-friendliness of the children's courts.