Dhaka, Feb 09 – A recent report of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad (BMB) published on Sunday said that the number of rape incidents and child rape and sexual assault on children increased significantly in January. In fact, the number of child rape and sexual assault on children reported in January this year saw a spike with 60 female children becoming victims of rape. The data were collected from 15 national dailies from January 1 to 31.
A total of 116 incidents of rape took place in January this year, among which 20 were cases of gang rape. The report also, said a total of 326 females, including women, girls and children, had fallen victims to torture and violence last month.
Although cases of violence against women and children occur daily across Bangladesh, few of them are reported and even fewer win the legal battle for justice.
It also found more than 40 women and girls were murdered in the month for various reasons, while 10 were physically assaulted and 15 were abducted.
Among 15 women tortured for dowry, 40 died in January, the report mentioned.
A total of 21 women and girls were forced to commit suicide after being tortured while 17 died mysteriously, according to the report.
A total of 10 incidents of child marriage took place while 5 others were victims of cybercrime in January, the report said.
Rights activists blamed a culture of impunity, bias on the part of law enforcers and the administration, social and political unrest, moral decadence, and lack of awareness for the increase in violence against women.
BMB president Ayesha Khanam said even though women occupied important positions in the country, their rights were not established.
She also said girl children were not safe even in their homes. The law and order situation has deteriorated to such an extent that women now feel insecure to travel by public transport, she added.
“Aggressive mentality of a person grows in the family. We have to create conciseness by cooperating with both male and female members of a family,” she observed. – Staff Reporter
