What to Do If a Child Goes Missing in Bangladesh: A Step-by-Step Guide

A practical guide covering 999, Moon Alert 13219, police reports, CCTV, social media, and the steps to take immediately.

A child going missing can be one of the most frightening situations for a family. It is easy to panic and lose valuable time.

If a child or teenager goes missing in Bangladesh, the most important thing is to act quickly and contact the right authorities.

In this guide, we have put together general steps based on information from Bangladesh Police, the Ministry of Social Welfare, CID’s Moon Alert initiative, and reports from reputable Bangladeshi news organizations.

We are not child-safety or law-enforcement experts. This is a general information guide, so always follow instructions from the police and other relevant authorities during an actual emergency.

1. Act Immediately

If you cannot find your child and you believe they may be missing, don’t simply wait and hope they will come home.

Start taking action immediately.

Ask yourself:

• When and where did you last see the child?
• What were they wearing?
• Who were they with?
• Where were they supposed to go?
• Do they have a phone?
• Are there places they usually visit?

Write down the approximate time and location where the child was last seen. This information will be useful when you contact the police.

If possible, divide the work among family members. One person can contact the authorities while others check nearby places.

Act quickly, but don’t panic
Every second counts when a child goes missing. Start taking action as soon as possible, but don’t rush or panic. Stay calm, divide the tasks among family members, and work through the steps one by one.

2. Call 999 and Contact the Police

For an emergency, call 999, Bangladesh’s National Emergency Service.

Bangladesh Police lists 999 as the national emergency service and says the service is available for immediate assistance.

You should also contact the nearest police station (থানা) and report the child missing.

When speaking to the police, try to provide as much information as possible, including:

• Child’s full name
• Age
• Recent photograph
• Height and general appearance
• Clothes and shoes they were wearing
• Any identifying marks
• Last known location
• Approximate time they were last seen
• Phone number, if they have one
• Names of friends or people they may have been with
• Any other information that may help locate them

What about a GD?

You may also use Bangladesh Police’s Online GD service where appropriate.

The official Online GD website says citizens can submit complaints online and that the relevant police station will take action according to the nature of the complaint. If the matter requires a case to be filed, the applicant may be asked to appear at the police station.

For a missing child, however, don’t let the online process delay contacting the police or emergency services.

Keep a police contact number
When reporting the case, ask for the name and mobile number of the police officer handling the matter, such as an SI (Sub-Inspector), if appropriate. Having a direct contact can be helpful if you need assistance during the search—for example, if you need help accessing CCTV footage.

3. Call Moon Alert — 13219

One important resource for missing children in Bangladesh is Moon Alert (Missing Urgent Notification).

The system was launched in January 2026 through an initiative involving the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Amber Alert for Bangladesh. A toll-free helpline, 13219, was also launched for missing-child information.

If a child goes missing, you can provide information through 13219.

CID says that when there is a reasonable concern that a child has gone missing or been abducted, it can verify the information and issue an emergency alert. Depending on the situation, alerts can be shared through online and offline media, social media, digital billboards and other channels.

You can also report a missing child through the Moon Alert website:

The important thing is to provide accurate information and a recent photograph.

4. Search the Immediate Area

While someone is contacting the police, other family members can start checking nearby places.

Depending on the child’s age and circumstances, check places such as:

• Nearby roads and alleys
• Staircases
• Rooftops
• Playgrounds
• Parks
• Nearby shops
• Schools
• Mosques or community areas
• Bus or CNG stands
• Relatives’ homes
• Places the child normally visits

Try to divide the area among family members so that several people don’t search the same place.

Keep one person available to answer phone calls.

If you find anything that may be relevant, tell the police rather than trying to handle a potentially dangerous situation yourself.

5. Check CCTV Cameras

CCTV footage can be very useful when trying to understand where a child went.

Check whether there are cameras around:

• Your home or apartment building
• Nearby shops
• Roads and intersections
• Schools
• Markets
• Parking areas
• Transport points

Ask building managers, shop owners or other camera operators whether they have footage from around the time the child disappeared.

If you find potentially useful footage, ask them to preserve it and inform the police.

Don’t try to alter or remove CCTV equipment yourself.

What if the shop is closed?
If a nearby shop or institution has CCTV but is closed, look for a phone number on its signboard, banner, Facebook page, or other public information. Call the owner or responsible person and politely request that they check or preserve the relevant footage. If you cannot get access, ask the police officer handling the case for help.

6. Check the Child’s Phone and Other Digital Information

If the child has a phone, try calling it.

Make a note of whether:

• It rings
• It is switched off
• It is unreachable
• Someone answers

Keep relevant call records, messages and other information. Don’t delete anything that could potentially help the investigation.

If your family already uses a legitimate location-sharing service, you can check the last available location and share useful information with the police.

Avoid trying to hack into the child’s accounts or someone else’s accounts.

7. Contact Friends, Relatives and Other People

Think about everyone who may have seen the child recently.

This could include:

• Friends
• Classmates
• Teachers
• Relatives
• Neighbours
• Drivers or caregivers
• People at places the child regularly visits

Ask simple questions:

• When did you last see them?
• Where did you see them?
• Who were they with?
• What were they wearing?
• Did they say where they were going?

Write down useful information and pass it to the police.

8. Check Hospitals and Transport Locations

Depending on the circumstances, you may also need to check nearby:

• Hospitals and clinics
• Bus terminals
• Railway stations
• Launch terminals
• Other major transport points

It is better to coordinate this effort with the police, especially if there is reason to believe the child may have travelled outside the local area.

9. Share a Missing Child Notice Carefully

Social media can help spread information quickly.

A missing-child post can include:

• A recent photograph
• Name
• Age
• Last known location
• Date and approximate time last seen
• Clothing
• Identifying features
• A reliable contact number
• Police/GD information where appropriate

Keep the information clear and easy to understand.

Be careful about what you share

Don’t unnecessarily publish sensitive information such as:

• Full home address
• Birth registration number
• Private documents
• Excessive family information

You should also avoid making accusations against individuals unless there is reliable information and the police are involved.

False information can make a difficult situation even more confusing.

10. Keep a Record of Everything

When many people are involved, it is easy to forget what has already been done.

Keep a simple timeline.

For example:

Time	Action
4:00 PM	Child last seen
4:15 PM	Family searched nearby
4:30 PM	Called 999
4:45 PM	Contacted police
5:00 PM	Called Moon Alert 13219
5:30 PM	CCTV checked

Also keep records of:

• Police/GD information
• Phone calls
• CCTV locations
• People contacted
• Information received from others
• Social media posts
• New developments

This can make it easier to give accurate information to the authorities.

What You Should Avoid Doing

When a child is missing, panic can lead people to make decisions that create more problems.

Try to avoid:

• Waiting before contacting the police
• Deleting messages or call records
• Ignoring potentially useful CCTV footage
• Sharing unverified information
• Publicly accusing someone without evidence
• Sharing sensitive personal information online
• Paying someone who claims they can find the child without verifying them
• Meeting a suspected person alone
• Putting yourself in danger while searching

If someone contacts you claiming to know where the child is, preserve the information and tell the police.

If Someone Contacts You Claiming to Have the Child

This can be especially stressful for a family.

If someone calls or messages saying they know where the child is:

1. Stay as calm as possible.
2. Save the messages and screenshots.
3. Note the phone number or account.
4. Don’t immediately send money.
5. Don’t agree to meet the person alone.
6. Contact the police and follow their instructions.

Let law enforcement handle the situation whenever possible.

What Is Child Helpline 1098?

Bangladesh also has Child Helpline 1098, operated under the Department of Social Services with support from UNICEF.

The Ministry of Social Welfare says the toll-free service operates 24/7 and can provide support related to child abuse, trafficking, child marriage and other child-protection issues. It can also help connect children to emergency services and relevant local authorities.

If a missing-child situation also involves concerns about abuse, trafficking, exploitation or another child-protection issue, 1098 may be an additional resource.

For an immediate emergency, however, contact 999 and the police.

If the Child Comes Back

If the child returns safely, there are still a few things to do.

• Inform the police that the child has returned.
• Update or remove public missing-child posts where appropriate.
• Keep any information that may help explain what happened.
• Seek medical attention if necessary.
• Give the child a calm and supportive environment.

Try not to immediately blame or frighten the child.

If there are signs of abuse, exploitation, trafficking or another serious safety concern, contact the appropriate authorities and seek professional help.

Quick Checklist: What to Do If a Child Goes Missing

Save or share this checklist:

🚨 First steps

1. Call 999.
2. Contact the nearest police station.
3. Call Moon Alert at 13219.
4. Note the child’s last known time and location.
5. Get a recent photograph ready.
6. Search nearby places.
7. Check and preserve CCTV footage.
8. Contact friends, relatives and other relevant people.
9. Check nearby hospitals and transport points if appropriate.
10. Share a careful missing-child notice.
11. Keep records of calls, reports and new information.
12. Follow the instructions of the police and other authorities.

Important Numbers and Resources

Service	Contact	Purpose
National Emergency Service	999	Emergency assistance
Moon Alert	13219	Missing-child information
Child Helpline	1098	Child protection and support
Online GD	gd.police.gov.bd	Online police complaints/GD

Bangladesh Police identifies 999 as the National Emergency Service.

The official Online GD service is available through the Bangladesh Police website.

Child Helpline 1098 is a 24/7 toll-free child-protection service.

Moon Alert’s 13219 helpline was launched by CID in January 2026 for information related to missing children.

Final Thoughts

If a child goes missing, it is understandable for parents and family members to panic. But the most useful thing you can do is act quickly and get the right people involved.

Contact the police, call 999, report the case to Moon Alert at 13219, search the immediate area, preserve useful information such as CCTV footage, and share information carefully.

You don’t need to know exactly what happened before asking for help. Give the authorities the information you have and let them guide the next steps.

A Note About This Guide

This article is a general information guide based on publicly available information from Bangladesh government agencies, law-enforcement resources and reputable news reports. We are not child-safety or law-enforcement professionals.

Emergency procedures and contact information can change, so always follow the latest instructions from the relevant authorities.

Sources

• Bangladesh Police — National Emergency Service 999
• Bangladesh Police — Online GD
• Ministry of Social Welfare — Child Helpline 1098
• Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) — Moon Alert and 13219
• The Business Standard — Moon Alert and missing-child response
• Prothom Alo — Reporting on Moon Alert and missing-child cases