What kind of society are we living in! Neither young girls are safe here nor are women, whether at home out outside of the home. In recent times, several incidents of rape and abuse have taken place, shocking the entire society.
The incidents of two young women being physically assaulted over smoking, a female student at Dhaka University being harassed due to her attire and a woman in Bakerganj being publicly beaten for protesting against inappropriate behaviour are deeply concerning. Yet the firm action that should have been taken by the state and government remain largely absent.
Last week an eight-year old child was raped while visiting her sister’s home in Magura, a crime so heinous that it brings utter disgrace to our society. The criminal of this horrific act was none other than the father-in-law of the child’s sister, a man who proved to be utterly inhuman.
A case has been filed under Section 9(4) A/30 of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, accusing the criminals of rape and causing injury through rape. The victim’s sister’s husband, father-in-law, mother-in-law and elder brother-in-law have been named as defendants in the case. They were held in police custody and have now been shown as arrested in connection with the case.
The child is currently in a critical condition and is receiving treatment at CMH in Dhaka. Prior to this, she was treated at Magura General Hospital, Faridpur Medical College and Dhaka Medical College Hospital. As there was no improvement in her condition, she was transferred to CMH for further treatment.
People from various social and professional backgrounds across the country have protested against the rape and abuse of women and children. Public and private university teachers and students have also taken the streets, similar to their participation in last year’s anti-autocratic movement. Statistics indicate that in Bangladesh, the majority of incidents of abuse against women and children are committed by family members and close relatives.
With one incident of abuse against women after another, what is the government doing? What are the members of the law enforcement agencies doing? When a crime occurs, the may file a case, but most of those who commit such heinous act remain beyond reach. Recently, in a case of child rape in Dinajpur, the defendant, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment, was released on bail within just eight and a half years. The victim child and her family are now living in fear and insecurity.
Although there are numerous laws against the abuse of women and children in the country, their proper implementation is lacking. Even when cases are filed, adequate investigations are not conducted. A few years ago, a study by Prothom Alo revealed that only 3% of those accused in child and women abuse cases are convicted. Under these circumstances, there is no reason to believe that incidents of abuse against women and children will decrease.
In the Magura case, the High Court has instructed that the investigation into the case (where the child has been allegedly raped) be completed within 30 working days and that the trial should be concluded within 180 days of taking the charges into consideration. When the law operates at its own pace, the High Court need not intervene. It is hoped that the relevant authorities will complete the investigation and judicial proceedings within the prescribed time.
To ensure the protection of women and children, we must first move away from this culture of impunity. In every case, the criminals must be assured of punishment. At the same time, social resistance must be built against the criminals. Say “no” to all forms of abuse against women and children, including rape.