Dhaka, Mar 08 (V7N) –From a six-year-old child to elderly individuals over sixty, rape, sexual abuse, and harassment have become almost everyday occurrences in Bangladesh.

 

In just the first two months of 2025, nearly 400 women and children have fallen victim to rape, gang rape, and sexual harassment. Among them, 157 are young girls.

This data has been revealed by the Bangladesh Mahila Parishad in the past two months.

According to the Mahila Parishad, 34 women and children, including 17 girls, have been victims of gang rape. Of these, 11 occurred in January and 20 in February, with three girls being murdered after being raped in January and February.

In addition, 18 women and children have been victims of sexual harassment, with eight in January (including four girls) and 10 in February (including six girls).

On Thursday, a seven-year-old girl was raped while visiting her sister's house in Nijnanduali, Magura.

On Wednesday, a harassment complaint was filed against Mostafa Asif, an assistant binder at Dhaka University Library, over an incident involving a female student’s scarf at Shahbagh. Later, the student withdrew the case due to concerns for her family’s safety.

In light of these events, questions have arisen again regarding the safety of women and children in Bangladesh and the judicial system.

Whenever news or information about rape or harassment is shared on social media, the first question that arises is often about the victim's clothing.

Even a woman or child who faces unpleasant remarks is frequently blamed for their attire.

On Wednesday, the "orna incident" led the group "Touhidi Janata" to blame women’s clothing for rape and abuse.

They also reportedly issued threats, including rape and murder, to the female student for withdrawing her case.

Bangladesh’s senior journalist, Zayma Islam, also shared her experience of harassment related to her clothing on Facebook.

She posted a screenshot and mentioned: “These people are opportunists—they assess risks before attacking. Little girls, young nieces, and young maids are seen as low-risk targets. If I could ask for one thing from the oppressive men of Bangladesh, it would be our bodies."

Dr Fauzia Moslem, president of the central committee of the Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, told Dhaka Tribune: "A woman’s clothing can never be blamed for sexual harassment or rape. If that were the case, why would four and six-year-old girls be victims of rape? Even a girl in a burqa faces harassment on the streets.

"The issue is not the clothing; the real issue is the lack of justice. There is no proper legal action, and those involved in such incidents are not afraid of the law, which leads to these occurrences happening repeatedly," she added.

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