Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has said the overall crime situation in Bangladesh has improved over the past 10 to 15 years, arguing that the rise in reported rape cases reflects easier access to justice rather than a surge in crime.
Speaking in the Jatiya Sangsad on Tuesday during discussions on the proposed budget for the Ministry of Home Affairs, the minister said victims can now file rape complaints at police stations or online without the social or political barriers that previously discouraged reporting. As a result, more cases are being officially recorded.
The ministry has been allocated Tk 31,098.88 crore in the proposed budget. During the debate, independent MP Rumin Farhana questioned the allocation, citing recent crime statistics, including 605 murders, 294 muggings, 90 robberies, 196 abductions, 2,214 thefts, and 3,496 cases of violence against women and children in March and April. She argued that the country's law and order situation remains fragile despite the large budget.
