1,689 children and teenagers reported missing in Barishal division, over half left home over relationships

A total of 1,689 children and teenagers went missing in the six districts of Barishal division over the past six months. A recent report by Barishal Range Police found that more than half of those who went missing left home over romantic relationships. The highest number of disappearances occurred in the coastal districts of Patuakhali, Pirojpur and Bhola.

According to the police report, the number of people reported missing in the division's six districts from 1 January to 31 July 2026 was 1,689. Police identified 21 reasons behind the disappearances. Of them, the largest number — 1,078 — left home over romantic relationships. In addition, 167 went missing after disagreements with their families, 132 after sulking with their parents, 75 because of strict rules at madrasas, 19 due to addiction to social media apps and 17 in incidents linked to extramarital affairs, the report said. Disagreements with family members and poverty were also among the reasons for leaving home.

In Agailjhara upazila of Barishal, two teenagers went missing in March this year; according to their families, they ran away together over a romantic relationship. After searching for them, the girl's family filed a complaint at Agailjhara police station on the afternoon of 25 March. Agailjhara police sources said the girl was found a week after the incident.

In another case, a teenage girl from Gournadi upazila in Barishal left home against her family's wishes over a romantic relationship and set up home with her partner. Unable to bear torture at her husband's home, she took poison. She died while undergoing treatment on the afternoon of 22 August.

In Bakerganj upazila of Barishal, three Class 10 students of Dariyal Secondary School went missing after leaving home saying they were going to school. According to police, the three girls left home on 29 September saying they were going to school, and their relatives filed a general diary at the police station. Police rescued them on 1 October from a match factory in Shyampur, under Kadamtali police station in Dhaka. Bakerganj police station officer-in-charge (OC) Md Adil Hossain said they had left home because of poverty.

In Gournadi, a 14-year-old boy went missing on 1 October. Gournadi Model police station OC Md Tarik Hasan Rasel said the boy was rescued while working at a restaurant in Barishal city.

Incidents like those in Agailjhara, Bakerganj and Gournadi are occurring frequently in various upazilas of Barishal division, worrying families and the administration alike. Dr Md Sadikur Rahman, head of the sociology department at the University of Barishal, said: 'Violent tendencies have increased in the post-5 August period. Boys and girls of teenage and young age think they can do everything — that is why a mob culture has been created. To come out of this situation, family relationships must be strengthened.' He also believes the country's law and order situation needs to improve.

Barishal Range DIG Md Zulfikar Ali Haider said such disappearance incidents were recently discussed in parliament. The police department is also worried about why boys and girls are going missing at such a young age. He fears they could be drawn into human trafficking or other harmful professions.

According to DIG Zulfikar Ali Haider, social media is a major factor in these incidents, and teenagers can fall into trouble through temptation. The tendency is higher in the coastal areas of Patuakhali and Bhola. He said the police department is creating public awareness alongside taking legal steps to control this tendency.