A stark and disturbing reality was revealed in the preliminary findings from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2025, conducted jointly by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and UNICEF. In Bangladesh, 86 percent of children aged 1–14 experienced physical punishment in the month preceding the survey. This is not a marginal issue. It is a national crisis.
Despite a 2011 circular from the Ministry of Education banning corporal punishment in educational institutions, children continue to be beaten by teachers. Beyond schools, corporal punishment persists in homes, institutions, and workplaces with little accountability. Occasionally, the media exposes horrific incidents of violence against child domestic workers and even children in schools. But these reports capture only a fraction of the truth. Most abuse remains hidden. Corporal punishment is not limited to visible injuries. Humiliation, verbal abuse, threats, intimidation, and ridicule leave scars that are often deeper and far more enduring.
The widespread social acceptance of corporal punishment indicates how violence has become normalised in child-rearing. It reinforces children's subordinate status in society and paves the way for other forms of abuse.
A 2021 report, titled “Corporal Punishment of Children: Summary of Research on Its Impact and Associations” by the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children, reviewed over 300 studies linking punishment to a host of adverse outcomes. Not a single study identified any benefits. Corporal punishment is ineffective as a disciplining technique, as children only comply due to fear but do not learn anything when they are punished.
Another report, “Corporal Punishment of Children: the public health impact,” published by the World Health Organization in 2025, found that over half of all children under 18 worldwide experience corporal punishment annually. Data across 58 countries shows that 17 percent of children who experienced corporal punishment in the past month were subjected to severe forms, such as being hit on the head, face, or ears, or hit hard and repeatedly. Studies in 49 low and middle-income countries revealed that children subjected to corporal punishment are 24 percent less likely to be on track with their development compared to peers who are not.
Corporal punishment triggers hormonal stress responses that can alter brain structure and function, leading to increased anxiety, depression, lower self-esteem, and higher risks of antisocial behaviour or substance abuse in adulthood. What we often dismiss as “discipline” is profound, measurable, and long-lasting harm.
Research also demonstrates a troubling insight: adults frequently misjudge the force they use when hitting children. What is intended as “mild” discipline can escalate quickly into violence.
International human rights standards are unequivocal. The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child has made it clear that all corporal punishment must be prohibited and eliminated in every setting—home, school, institutions, and the justice system.
Around 70 countries worldwide have already prohibited corporal punishment in all settings, including homes. Bangladesh is not among them. This is a glaring gap in our legal framework. When striking an adult is a punishable offence but hitting a child is tolerated, we must confront an uncomfortable truth-our laws are discriminatory. Children, simply because they are young and dependent, are denied equal protection. This must change. Bangladesh, as a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, has both a legal and moral obligation to act.
“I was hit as a child, and I turned out fine” is a common statement. But this argument misses the point entirely. Many people survive harmful experiences. That does not make those experiences acceptable or beneficial. Resilience should not be used to justify harm.
Many argue that adults usually resort to hitting out of stress, anger, or frustration. Parents and teachers may need support or more resources, but that should never be a justification to hit children. With sustained investment in public education and awareness building, parents and teachers can learn constructive, respectful ways to guide children’s behaviour without resorting to violence.
Politicians are usually hesitant to enact laws banning corporal punishment of children in all settings, in fear of public backlash. This is not an issue where governments can afford to wait for public opinion to shift. On the contrary, leadership must come first. Countries such as Sweden, Finland, Germany, New Zealand, Poland, and Romania have all seen a decline in public acceptance of corporal punishment following legislative action. It is possible to shift societal attitudes and individual behaviours by enacting laws, promoting positive parenting, changing social norms, and ending violent discipline in schools.
The law sends a clear, uncompromising message: hitting a child is unacceptable, everywhere and under all circumstances. Banning corporal punishment is not about criminalising parents. It is about protecting children and shifting societal norms. Evidence from countries that have enacted such bans shows no surge in prosecutions. Instead, these laws serve as powerful educational tools, encouraging healthier, non-violent relationships between adults and children.
In 2015, every country signed up to SDG target 16.2, pledging to end exploitation, trafficking, torture, and all forms of violence against children by 2030. We have less than five years to meet the commitments. Bangladesh must take proactive measures to protect children from violence. This should include enacting comprehensive legislation banning corporal punishment in all settings; strengthening enforcement of the existing ban on corporal punishment in educational institutions; investing in nationwide awareness campaigns promoting positive, non-violent parenting and teaching practices; building the capacity of parents, teachers, and service providers to interact with children without violence; and ensuring children’s voices are heard and respected in shaping policies that affect them.
Ending corporal punishment is not just about protecting children from harm. It is about building a society grounded in dignity, respect, and non-violence. We must do more and bring momentum to our efforts to create a peaceful society for children. The new government should demonstrate leadership through legal reform to facilitate the social transformation process.
Laila Khondkar is an international development worker.
Views expressed in this article are the author's own.
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