Dhaka, Sep 16 (IANS): As violence against women and children continued to escalate in Bangladesh, a leading human rights organisation strongly condemned the recurring incidents of rape, abuse and killings targeting women and children across the country, local media reported.
Dhaka-based rights body Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) expressed profound shock and outrage over the rape and killing of a seven-year-old child in Madarganj upazila of Jamalpur district.
According to police, the child was sexually assaulted before being killed, and her body was subsequently found buried beneath the floor of a house, leading Bangladeshi daily The Dhaka Tribune reported.
Condemning the brutal incident and extending its sympathies to the bereaved family, MJF said the Jamalpur case should not be viewed as an isolated crime,
The growing reports of rape, sexual abuse, harassment and killings of women and children across Bangladesh have highlighted a disturbing pattern of violence.
The central questions remain whether women and children are safe in homes, schools and communities, and whether perpetrators are facing timely justice, The Dhaka Tribune reported.
Shaheen Anam, Executive Director of Manusher Jonno Foundation, described the continued reports of rape, abuse and killing of women and children across the country as deeply alarming and unacceptable.
She emphasised that children deserve a safe environment at home, on their way to school, in educational institutions and throughout the community.
“We cannot allow these incidents to become headlines for a few days and then disappear from public attention. Every case must be investigated promptly, those responsible must be held accountable, and stronger protection and prevention systems must be put in place. Parents and guardians must also remain attentive to children’s safety, listen to them carefully, and respond quickly to signs of fear, distress or risk. Protecting children requires shared responsibility from families, institutions, communities and the State,” Anam added.
MJF has stressed that protecting women and children cannot be limited to taking action after a crime has been committed.
The organisation has called for an emergency-level response to violence against women and children, coupled with stronger preventive safeguards such as functioning Sexual Harassment Committees in madrasas and other educational institutions in Bangladesh.
Earlier this month, Dhaka-based Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) documented that at least 249 women and children were subjected to violence across Bangladesh in August this year, including 79 rape cases, local media reported.
In its latest report, the HRSS said that 46 children were among the rape victims, while 18 women and girls were subjected to gangrape. The report also documented sexual harassment of 93 women and girls, including 38 children.
