The heart of Bangladesh is heavy with grief and seething with outrage as an eight-year-old rape victim from Magura district lost her battle for life on March 12 after enduring unimaginable pain for a week. The news of her death has sent shockwaves across the country. In a visceral reaction to the news, enraged locals set fire to the house of the accused.
Since the incident, Bangladesh has been engulfed in protests against rape and violence targeting women and children. The outcry has grown so intense that the interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, was forced to indefinitely ban demonstrations at key locations in the capital, Dhaka, as the movement for women’s security gained momentum.
The Magura case is not an isolated incident. Just days earlier, a second-grade student from Sirajganj was hospitalised after being raped. Activists and human rights organisations report that such incidents are becoming alarmingly frequent.
The interim government has repeatedly issued warnings and promised action, but these have done little to stem the tide of violence.
Women in Bangladesh face not only the threat of violence but also societal scrutiny. A recent incident involving a Dhaka University female student underscores this troubling reality. While on her way to the campus, she was stopped by a man who criticised her clothing as “inappropriate”.
When she threatened to report him to the university proctor, the situation escalated. Although the accused was arrested after the incident went viral on social media, he was soon released — greeted by a cheering crowd.
Dewan Sudeshna, a 28-year-old English language instructor in Dhaka’s Mohammadpur area, shared her daily struggles with palpable fear. “I work until 5:00 p.m. and rush home before evening. People now judge women simply for being out after the dark. It’s as if being on the street in the evening is a crime for us,” she said.
“The fault always lies at the feet of women. If I’m ever late, my parents grow anxious because the environment is so volatile. Some people feel entitled to question why a woman is out after the evening. It’s terrifying for any girl or woman.”
Crime against children
According to the human rights organisation Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), at least 85 women were raped in January and February this year in Bangladesh. Between 2017 and 2024, 9,677 children under 18 were victims of violence, with nearly half — 4,801 — being rape survivors. Similarly, the Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) reported that between 2020 and 2024, at least 6,305 women and children were raped, including 3,471 minors.
Human rights activists and organisations attributed the rise in violence to the collapse of law enforcement and societal structures following the regime change on August 5 last year in the country. Despite repeated government warnings against mob violence, such incidents continues unabated.
On March 16, a young man named Sujan, accused in a child rape case, was beaten to death by a mob in Barisal. Earlier, on February 28, five people were killed in a similar mob attack in Shariatpur. They were accused of attempting to commit robbery and were caught by locals while trying to flee.
The ASK reported that mob violence has seen a sharp rise in recent months. At least 27 people were killed in mob attacks in January and February alone. compared with the 32 incidents recorded in the first seven months of 2024, just before the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Following the August 2025 uprising, mob violence rocketed, with 123 incidents reported in the next seven months—a fourfold increase compared to the first seven months of 2024.
According to the Human Rights Support Society (HRSS), at least 114 incidents of mob beatings occurred in the seven months following the interim government’s assumption of power in August, resulting in 119 deaths and 74 injuries.
According to the Bangladesh Police Headquarters, 294 murder cases were registered in January 2025 alone, up from 231 in January 2024. Robbery and mugging cases also surged, with 242 cases filed in January 2025, a 69% increase from the previous year. December 2024 saw 230 cases, a 70% rise compared to December 2023.
Rising crime numbers
Crime statistics also reveal an equally alarming trend. Over the past six months, up until January 2025, 1,145 cases of robbery and banditry were filed — a 50% increase compared to the same period the previous year.
In response to the crisis, Information and Broadcasting Adviser Mohammad Mahfuj Alam said: “Regardless of their religion, beliefs, or affiliations, no one involved in these crimes will be spared. While the government has shown patience in the past, it is now taking an extremely strict stance.”
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Mohammad Sazzad Ali has announced special operations to apprehend criminals. However, for many citizens, these assurances ring hollow.
Advocate Saidur Rahman, chief executive of the Manabadhikar Shongskriti Foundation (MSF), told The Hindu that certain group of people are actively inciting and encouraging these heinous acts, often linking them to political entities such as the Awami League. “These instigators manipulate mobs into committing violence, and the side effect is the abuse of women.”
“Police presence has also drastically reduced. They are now patrolling far less, and many positions remain unfilled after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina. This shortage of law enforcement personnel has created a vacuum, allowing crime to flourish. There is also no initiative from the government, and social mobilisation is missing. Without these, the situation will not improve”, he added.
(Rabiul Alam is a Dhaka-based freelance journalist)
Published – March 22, 2025 04:00 am IST