10,830 Rapes in Two and a Half Years
Graphics: Agamir Somoy
Between January 2024 and May 2026, over 10,830 women and children filed rape cases across Bangladesh and 288 women never made it to a courtroom - they died under torture first.
These are more than just numbers; they represent broken lives, unfulfilled hopes, and festering social wounds. This terrible reality is revealed in a recently published document from Police Headquarters.
Moreover, 42 women and children lost their lives following rape. Despite the law being amended twice in five years, protection for women and children remains elusive.
Instead, nationwide shocking incidents have occurred, such as the rape and decapitation of Ramisa Pallabi, Dhaka. Even on Monday, a two-year-old child was raped in Dakshinkhan.
Sociologists and crime analysts said the actual situation is even more dire, as many victims do not go to the police station, keeping the true numbers hidden.
Analysis of crime data from Police Headquarters shows that rape is not the only concern. During the same period, 9,697 women were victims of dowry-related torture. Another 7,437 individuals faced other forms of abuse.
In the incidents of violence, 121 women and children were injured. Criminologists warned that if documented data is this alarming, the actual numbers are likely higher because many incidents never reach the police station due to social stigma, family pressure, fear of public shame, and uncertainty regarding justice.
Desired results in curbing crime are difficult to achieve without ensuring justice in the shortest possible time. However, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ali Hossain Fakir said members of his force are working with the highest priority to control social crimes, including violence against women and children.
Special operations are regularly conducted to suppress these crimes, with instructions to take necessary legal action immediately upon receiving a complaint.
Statistics showed that 28,633 women and children were victims of nine types of crimes, resulting in 34,946 cases involving 97,750 accused in the First Information Reports (FIRs).
The data indicated multiple people are often involved in each incident, suggesting many crimes are committed by gangs or multiple participants. Observation by human rights organizations reflects a similar alarming picture.
Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) reported that from January 2025 to June 2026, 603 children were killed in torture, sexual violence, and other incidents. During the same period, 2,547 children were injured in various forms of abuse, and 1,404 children and adolescent girls fell victim to rape and sexual assault.
Senior police officials noted that the decline in the overall law and order situation at the start of the interim government had an impact on incidents of violence against women and children.
Later, as the situation improved, continuous operations, intelligence surveillance, and monitoring of case progress were intensified. They claimed that many crimes have recently been brought under control, though it is not yet possible to call the situation fully satisfactory.
Investigators said they are trying to take swift action in every case, often arresting suspects in a short time, but the changing nature of crime is increasing challenges.
Rights organizations believed that taking action after a crime is not enough; preventive measures are equally important, including local awareness, child protection systems, and legal aid.
Mustasim Tanzir, a Supreme Court lawyer, told Agamir Somoy, “The influence of certain drugs significantly increases sexual arousal, inciting users to engage in sexual crimes. The government should determine which drugs contain such elements and take special measures to prevent them. Psychologists and doctors could also be included in that research.”
He also emphasized that the strict application of existing laws. Researchers observed that violence against women and children is no longer an isolated crime but a long-term social and legal challenge. Addressing this requires coordinated roles from the judiciary, social institutions, the education system, and families.
Following gang rapes in Sylhet and Noakhali in 2020, the law was amended to make the maximum punishment for rape the death penalty, and DNA testing was made mandatory.
After nationwide protests following the rape and murder of an eight-year-old child in Magura, the government issued the Women and Children Repression Prevention (Amendment) Ordinance on 25 March 2025.
Under the amended law, the investigation period was reduced from 30 to 15 days, and the trial period from 180 to 90 days, though courts can extend this if necessary.
Sexual relations under “allurement” of marriage were separated from the main rape clause and included under Section 9(b), carrying a maximum of seven years of rigorous imprisonment.
Courts can now conduct trials based only on medical certificates if they deem it necessary, as DNA testing is no longer mandatory. The current maximum punishment for rape remains death or life imprisonment with rigorous labor.
Rights groups advocate for effective local initiatives, school awareness, and more responsible families.
Touhidul Haque, associate professor at the Institute of Social Welfare and Research, University of Dhaka, told Agamir Somoy, “Prevention is the most effective way to control crime. Along with law enforcement agencies, families, educational institutions, local administrations, public representatives, and social organizations must work in coordination. Simultaneously, legal aid, medical treatment, and psychological rehabilitation for victims need to be strengthened.”
He added that a long-term, integrated state strategy is needed rather than isolated initiatives; otherwise, despite the increasing number of cases, concerns regarding the safety of women and children will not easily fade.
