The recent incident of the rape of eight-year-old Asiya, being abused by her relatives, has left the entire country shocked. Some of the prominent Bangladeshi artistes have shared their deep concern over these horrifying incidents, calling for justice, stricter punishments, and a fundamental shift in societal attitudes.
ASK report paints disturbing picture of first six months of 2024
The national helpline for women and children who are victims of violence is not serving its intended purpose.
Brutal treatment of students at a school in Satkhira has raised alarms
Why are children still subjected to random violence and abuse?
This isn't the first time that regulations and directives have been issued by education authorities regarding bullying. The question is if and how the new directive can make a difference.
There is a bias against the poor that leads to a general acceptance of violence against them.
Although Sustainable Development Goals target ending abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against children by 2030, Bangladesh is yet to go a long way in this regard.
According to a report by Prothom Alo, 97 percent of these cases filed in five tribunals in Dhaka district, over the last 15 years, ended up with no conviction. Some cases described in the report are disturbing and constitute absolute examples of why justice delayed is justice denied.
It has become apparent that we live in a country where being signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child means little more than a perfunctory nod to the accepted international code of propriety.
Despite lofty rhetoric regarding our commitment to the protection of the 'future of our nation' the reality of the state of our children is grim if not macabre.
The courts have awarded various degrees of punishment to most of the accused, including the maximum punishment to several of them, in the killing of two young boys in Sylhet and Khulna.
We fully endorse the anxiety expressed by a local human rights organisation at the increasing incidence of violence against children.
Despite the government's pledge to adopt a zero tolerance for violence against women and children, there has not been significant progress in the ground realities.
A study by Brac University's School of Law has found that between 2009 and 2014, the overall conviction rate under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act 2000 in three district tribunals, including one in Dhaka, was only 0.86 percent.
Both death and life term can be awarded as highest punishment for rape and killing under Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, the Supreme Court has ruled. Now, Section 6(2) of Women and Children Repression Prevention (Special) Act 1995 will become void.
