Incidents of rape, gang-rape and killing after rape increased unabatedly in the country during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The raging global pandemic also did not stop sexual violence against women and children in the country.
A newly-married 19-year-old girl has been allegedly raped by a group of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists at Murari Chand (MC) College in Sylhet on Friday. A large number of people are taking to the social media to demand 'justice' after BCL members involved with such violence against women sparked outrage in the country.
At least 889 women were raped in the eight months in the country, according to a report by Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK).Of them, some 41 were killed after rape and nine others committed suicide after rape.
The ASK also mentioned that a total of 224 cases were filed in connection with the incidents in January to August 2020. Besides, 192 incidents of rape attempts occurred during the period, it added.
At least 1,413 women were raped in 2019 across the country, while as many as 732 women were raped in 2018, the ASK report disclosed. Violence against women continues at an alarming rate in year 2020. These violent incidents are linked with social, legal and political failures, they observed.
A newly-married 19-year-old girl has been allegedly raped by a group of Chhatra League activists at MC College in Sylhet. The incident took place after the couple went to visit the college at Tilagarh around 9:30 pm on September 25.
Earlier. a Chakma was gang-raped in Khagrachhari on September 24. In Jashore, two teenagers were gang-raped in Benapole on September 23. Five friends keep watch as man rapes girl in Savar on September 21.
The woman rights activists found that the culture of impunity, practice of misusing power, lack of accountability of concerned agencies and decay of social values were the reasons behind such drastic increase in violence against woman.
The real number of sexual abuse was much higher than the statistics as most of the incidents of severe sexual violation are kept under wraps and are not recorded, according to several rights body in the country.
Compared to 2018, sexual violation doubled in 2019. At least 1,703 incidents of rape, gang-rape and killing after rape were recorded in 2019 while it was 942 in 12 months of 2018, according to Mahila Parishad report.
However, human rights organisation Ain O Salish Kendra reported that 1,413 women were raped in 2019, it was 732 in 2018.
Human rights activists said other forms of oppression on women are also being perpetuated using the ancient issues including religious fatwa, forcible marriage, child marriage and demand for dowry while new means of oppression were invented in the present society.
The rights body demanded implementation of the laws strictly to reduce the incidence of crimes as only 3 per cent of the accused were convicted under the Prevention of Women and Children Repression Act 2000 and only 1 per cent in Acid Crime Prevention Acts 2002.
The rights bodies said the government to take measures to change social attitude towards women starting from the level of the family.
61pc fund embezzlement in forest projects: TIB