A 15-year-old girl was raped and murdered after her grandmother was killed in Pabna's Ishwardi on February 28.
A 7-year-old child-whose body was recovered from a forest in Sitakunda, Chattogram-was murdered by a neighbour, Babu Sheikh, after a failed rape attempt on March 2.
Additionally, allegations surfaced regarding the gang rape and murder of an expatriate's wife after intruders broke into her home in Cox's Bazar's Ukhiya on the midnight of March 3.
On March 8, as International Women's Day is being observed globally with various programmes focused on women's rights and dignity, these incidents have sparked widespread outrage across the country. Discussions and criticisms are flooding social media, while various political parties and human rights organizations have issued stern condemnations.
They state that the safety risks for women and children in the country are steadily increasing due to the recent rise in rape, murder, and abuse. Most women and children feel insecure in all spheres, including homes, offices, public transport, roads, and educational institutions. This environment is hindering the mental development of women and children.
The tragedy remains that despite having numerous laws to ensure the safety of women and children, there is a lack of strict enforcement in reality. Human rights organizations believe that this lack of implementation is the primary reason behind the rising incidents of violence.
Bangladesh Police Headquarters show that overall women and child repression cases rose from 17,571 in 2024 to 21,939 in 2025 - an increase of 4,368 cases, or nearly 25 percent.
Meanwhile, Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), a national legal aid and human rights organisation, statistics reveal a sharp rise in sexual violence in Bangladesh. In 2024, 401 rape and gang-rape incidents were recorded. In 2025, this surged by 86.78% to 749 cases. Last year saw 569 rapes and 180 gang rapes. Children made up a majority of victims, with 323 among rape survivors and 47 in gang rapes. The aftermath was deadly: 36 women were murdered after rape, seven died by suicide, and six succumbed to injuries from attempted rape.
According to data from the Cyber Support for Women and Children platform, 97 percent of those who fell victim to cyber violence in the first six months of 2025 were women and children. Among the victims, women accounted for the highest share at 76 percent, while 21 percent were underage girls.
Analysts say that after the political change in July 2024, many people expected the new government to take strong measures to ensure the rights and safety of women and children. There were hopes that the law and order situation would improve, rape and abuse cases would be tried swiftly, and perpetrators would receive exemplary punishment.
However, reality appears to present a different picture. Statistics indicate that women's safety has not been ensured in families, educational institutions, or workplaces. In many cases, even the family environment is not safe.
Protesting incidents of rape, murder, and violence against women and girls across the country, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad held a rally in front of the National Press Club on March 2. The organization's president Fawzia Moslem said that the new government's six-month action plan contains no effective program to stop violence against women. She called for the formation of a task force under the home minister following a "zero-violence policy."
She noted that rape is a criminal offense and cannot be resolved through informal arbitration. However, influential individuals often attempt to settle such cases illegally through local mediation.
Advocate Alena Khan, Founder Chairperson and Chief Executive of the Bangladesh Human Rights Foundation, said the longstanding culture of impunity for rape and murder still persists. She identified lengthy legal procedures, lack of witness protection, and political influence as major barriers to justice. In many cases, victims are pressured to marry the accused.
Bangladesh Mahila Parishad's General Secretary Maleka Banu said that the erosion of humanitarian values and a consumerist attitude toward women are contributing to the rise in violence, stressing the need for a change in social attitudes.
In response to recent rape incidents, the Rape Law Reform Coalition held a press conference on March 5 demanding protection for victims. Representatives from several organizations-including Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, Manusher Jonno Foundation, BRAC, and BLAST-were present.
The coalition presented an eight-point demand, including the swift prosecution of perpetrators in rape cases, ensuring the safety of victims, their families, and witnesses, and establishing accountability of government institutions responsible for providing services to survivors of violence.
The coalition also called for reform of rape laws in line with international human rights standards, ensuring justice for victims with disabilities, enacting a victim and witness protection law, and implementing High Court directives. Additionally, it urged proper application of Sections 146(3) and 151 of the Evidence Act 2022 and the swift enactment of the Women and Children Repression Prevention (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 into law.
