Culture of impunity, lack of accountability and absence of legal protection are among the few main reasons behind widespread violence against women in Bangladesh, rights activists said.
Unrest in families amid the Covid-19 pandemic also helped the rise in violence against women, they said.
The rights activists have alleged that necessary and expected steps from the government to prevent violence against women are still absent.
Against this backdrop, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women will be observed today in the country like elsewhere in the world.
This year the day will be observed with the theme - Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now.
Quoting different newspaper reports, rights organisation Ain O Salish Kendra said that 197 women were killed allegedly by their husbands between January and October this year, 240 in 2020, 218 in 2019, 193 in 2018, 213 in 2017, 191 in 2016 and 212 in 2015.
The country’s newspapers reported 565 incidents of domestic violence in the first 10 months of 2021, 554 in 2020, 423 in 2019, 409 in 2018, 442 in 2017, 394 in 2016 and 373 in 2015.
Reports of 1,178 rapes were published in newspapers between January and October this year, 1,627 in 2020, 1,413 in 2019, 732 in 2018, 818 in 2017, 724 in 2016 and 846 in 2015.
Besides, 43 rape-related deaths were reported in the first 10 months of this year, 53 in 2020, 76 in 2019, 70 in 2018, 58 in 2017, 45 in 2016 and 62 in 2015, the ASK data showed.
Of the reported incidents, 63 were tortured to death for dowry between January and October this year, 89 in 2020, 96 in 2019, 85 in 2018, 145 in 2017, 126 in 2016 and 187 in 2015, the data showed.
Rights activist Nur Khan Liton told New Age that violence against women remained in society for ages, but the rate of this violence got increased during the Covid-19 pandemic due to economic crisis and increasing level of social unrest.
‘The culture of impunity is another main reason,’ he said, adding, ‘there are no visible initiatives from the authorities to eliminate violence against women.’
Nur, also secretary general of the ASK executive committee, added that the situation would not improve without the government taking steps to reduce the culture of impunity and raise awareness among people.
Bangladesh Mahila Parishad data, prepared based on reports published in 13 national newspapers, showed that 890 incidents of rape were reported between January and October this year, 1,310 in 2020, 1370 in 2019, 697 in 2018, 969 in 2017, 840 in 2016 and 808 in 2015.
In the first 10 months of this year, 29 were killed after rape, 33 in 2020, 77 in 2019, 63 in 2018, 58 in 2017, 44 in 2016 and 85 in 2015.
Data also showed that 40 women were murdered for dowry between January and October this year, 52 in 2020, 70 in 2019, 102 in 2018, 181 in 2017, 173 in 2016 and 202 in 2015.
‘As of now we are not able to achieve much in terms of eliminating violence against women due to culture of impunity and social perspectives,’ BMP president Fauzia Moslem told New Age Wednesday.
She observed that society is yet to consider violence against women as a basic human rights violation, while the legal frameworks also do not support women in some basic areas.
‘Our achievements are limited to making a small portion of the society aware of women’s rights. But very few women come forward to ask for justice in cases of violation,’ Fauzia said.
She alleged that in Bangladesh women were often blamed for violence against them though most of the perpetrators were found to be powerful people.
Women are yet to get equal rights to property and equality in rights of children in family while still their main labour – household works – has remained unrecognised by the government, she continued.
‘Proper implementation of existing laws, recognition of women’s rights to property and family and household works, smooth and speedy trial facilities and enlightenment of the society are needed to change the scenario,’ she added.
According to rights organisation Odhikar, between January and September this year – 1,122 women were victims of rape while 36 were killed after rape, 153 women were victims of dowry-related tortures, out of whom 54 were murdered while 79 women were victims of sexual harassment. Two men were killed for protesting against the crimes.
In 2020, 1,538 women were victims of rape while 48 were killed after rape, 199 women were victims of dowry-related tortures, out of whom 89 were murdered and 157 women were victims of sexual harassment while eight men were killed for protesting the crimes, said Odhikar.
Odhikar director ASM Nasiruddin Elan said that violence against women was always prevalent in the country. It intensified in recent years due to lack of accountability, dysfunctional institutions and absence of a democratic environment, he said.
‘Due to these issues, women do not get justice, which eventually contributes to rising in violence against them,’ he added.
According to a report submitted by the police headquarters to the High Court early this year, the number of rape increased in the last five years.
It shows that a total of 26,695 rape cases were filed across the country between January 2016 and October 2020.
Of the cases, 4,331 were filed in 2016, 4,683 were filed in 2017, 4,695 were filed in 2018, and 6,786 were filed in 2019 while 6,220 cases were filed until October 2020.
According to the Supreme Court statistics, trials of 1, 64,551 cases for crimes committed against women and children till March 31, 2019 remained pending with various tribunals in the country.
Of the pending cases, the trials of 38,006 cases were pending for over five years and the trials of 1,217 cases were stayed by a higher court order.
Amid countrywide movement against rape and violence against women in the backdrop of an increased number of rapes, many of them reportedly perpetrated by leaders and activists of the ruling Awami League’s associate organisations, the government on October 13, 2020 amended the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, incorporating death sentence as the highest punishment for rape.
The Jatiya Sangsad passed the amended law on November 17 in the same year.
