Bangladesh Launches National “Missing Urgent Notification” System to Rescue Abducted Children
For the first time in Bangladesh, a national-level emergency alert system called Missing Urgent Notification (MUN Alert) is being launched to ensure the rapid rescue of missing and abducted children. This initiative is a joint effort by the Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Amber Alert for Bangladesh.
Alongside this, a toll-free child-related helpline—13219—has been officially inaugurated to strengthen law enforcement and encourage immediate public participation. The launch was held on Tuesday (January 13) at the CID headquarters in Malibagh, Dhaka, led by Police Additional IGP and CID Chief Md. Shibgat Ullah.
Under the MUN Alert system, if a child goes missing or is suspected of abduction, verified information will trigger an emergency alert issued by the CID. The alert will be disseminated through the official web portal, mobile app, online and offline news media, social media, digital billboards, SMS or cell broadcasting, and other technology-based platforms to enable the public to provide timely information to aid rescue operations.
Information about missing children can be reported immediately through the national emergency service 999, the Missing Children Cell 01320017060, or the toll-free helpline 13219. The CID’s Missing Children Cell holds full authority to verify information, assess risk, and issue, suspend, or withdraw alerts.
In cases where children may cross international borders or face trafficking risks, the CID can also issue an Interpol Yellow Notice if necessary. Throughout the process, utmost priority will be given to the child’s safety, dignity, and privacy.
CID Chief Md. Shibgat Ullah highlighted the urgency of the initiative, noting that many missing children fall victim to human trafficking. Children are often taken across borders to neighboring countries for sexual abuse, physical harm, or exploitation in illegal activities. Even newborns have been stolen from hospitals.
He added that abductors sometimes demand ransom, and in certain cases, close relatives are involved in the crime. Despite significant financial efforts, parents often fail to rescue their children alive.
“The distressing reality of child abduction occurs all around us. Rescuing missing children and preventing such crimes requires collective effort. We aim to establish a coordinated platform where police, media, and society work together,” he said.
He emphasized that rescuing missing children and combating crime is not solely the responsibility of the police. Society must unite to prevent crime and create a safe, humane Bangladesh.
The Amber Alert system was first introduced in the United States in 1996 and has since become a globally recognized emergency mechanism for locating missing children, including across Europe and other regions.
The tragic 2024 case of five-year-old Muntaha Akter in Sylhet highlighted the urgent need for a rapid, coordinated, and technology-driven system for child rescue. With the launch of MUN Alert, Bangladesh will establish a state-led, technology-driven, and coordinated framework to protect children and ensure justice.
