A series of brutal attacks on children over the past two weeks has shocked Bangladesh, fuelling public anger and raising fresh concerns about the safety of children in homes, schools and religious institutions.

The latest case emerged on Wednesday, when police recovered the body of 10-year-old Abdullah from the bathroom of a madrasa in Dhaka’s Banasree area.

Investigators said there were signs of injury to his anus, raising suspicions of sexual abuse. A teenage student who had left the madrasa shortly before the body was discovered is being sought by police.

The discovery came a day after eight-year-old Ramisa Akhter was found murdered in a neighbour’s flat in Dhaka’s Pallabi neighbourhood. Police have arrested the couple who rented the flat next to Ramisa’s family two months ago and are suspected of involvement in the killing.

Earlier this month, a four-year-old girl in Sylhet was allegedly killed after an attempted rape. Similar cases were reported in Thakurgaon and Munshiganj.

The repeated attacks have triggered a flood of outrage on social media, with many demanding swift justice.

Child rights activists say the succession of cases points to a deeper crisis, with children increasingly vulnerable to abuse by people they know and trust.

Human rights organisation Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) warned in a recent statement that growing threats are endangering children’s safety, physical and mental well-being, and their right to normal development in Bangladesh.

The organisation said such brutality against children is not only a criminal act, but also a grave warning about the state of fundamental human rights and child rights in society.