About 201 children murders and 90 children rape cases were reported in daily newspapers in 2012, said speakers at a roundtable discussion in the capital yesterday.

The actual number of cases of violence against children is much higher than that reported in newspapers as parents are unwilling to report such cases to concerned authorities, they said.

"It is a sad fact that violence, particularly sexual violence, against children has seen a sharp rise in recent years. This kind of abuse against the most vulnerable section of a society raises questions about our humanity," said Md Emranul Huq Chowdhury, chairperson of Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum (BSAF).

The roundtable discussion was organised by the BSAF at Dhaka Reporters' Unity to launch the publication 'State of Child Rights in Bangladesh', published by the BSAF.

According to a study by the Human Rights Watch, more than 13,000 children were trafficked out of the country in the last five years.

"Trafficking, sexual abuse and exploitation are all crucial threats for children. Many girls from Bangladesh are trafficked outside for purposes of sexual exploitation while boys are trafficked to Middle Eastern countries to be trained as camel jockeys," said, Shahana Jannat, director of BSAF.

Aside from stressing on raising awareness, speakers also urged the government to employ a special force within different law enforcement agencies who will ensure that cases of violence against children are properly investigated and culprits are punished accordingly.

Speakers also urged for a more communicable and easy access between law enforcement agencies and general people to improve information generating opportunities.