Rape, Torture, Murder on the Rise: What Experts Are Saying
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The rape and murder of second-grader Ramisa Akter in Pallabi, Dhaka, has sparked outrage across the country. A day later, another child rape in Chittagong led to protests there. Even after the arrest of the accused, locals demonstrated fiercely.
Around the same time, police recovered the body of a child named Abdullah from a madrasa in the capital. Evidence of rape was also found in that case. Earlier, the rape and murder of child Ashiya in Magura had shaken the entire nation.
These four incidents are not isolated cases of child abuse or murder. According to the Human Rights Support Society (HRSS), at least 580 children have been raped and 483 killed in the country over the past 16 months. During this period, at least another 318 children have been victims of sexual assault.
In a statement on Thursday, HRSS said that from January 2025 to April 2026, at least 1,890 children and adolescents have been victims of abuse. Among them, 483 children were killed, and 1,407 suffered physical and mental abuse. During the same period, 580 children were raped, and 318 were victims of sexual assault.
On this issue, HRSS Executive Director Ijazul Islam said, "Preventing violence such as child murder, rape, and abuse is the constitutional and legal responsibility of the state. However, these recurring incidents prove that the existing system for child protection is not sufficiently effective. Additionally, the culture of impunity, lengthy judicial processes, and weak law enforcement are making the situation even more dire."
He demanded the immediate identification of perpetrators and exemplary punishment through rapid, impartial, and fair investigations into all child murder and rape cases. At the same time, the HRSS Executive Director called for the proper application of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, as well as ensuring security for victim families, free legal aid, compensation, medical treatment, and mental healthcare.
Meanwhile, the Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) has published a report on child rape and murder over the past four months. The report states that from January 1 to May 20, 118 children were victims of rape, and 46 children were victims of attempted rape. Fourteen children were raped and then killed, and three children were killed after failed rape attempts. Two children who were raped committed suicide. Additionally, 115 children were murdered in various incidents from January to April.
ASK reports that an analysis of five recent rape and murder cases shows that in all instances, the children were victimized by neighbors, relatives, or close acquaintances.
Experts say that while these reports, prepared based on information published in the media, reveal the extent of child abuse, rape, and murder, the actual situation is even more alarming. They note that in most cases, only deaths following rape or abuse come to media attention. Incidents involving only rape or only abuse remain hidden. In many instances, the abused child does not inform their family. Even when families are aware, they often do not come forward due to fear, shame, or social pressure. Moreover, many cases are covered up locally through intimidation or small monetary settlements.
According to them, the reasons behind these incidents are not merely individual criminal tendencies but rather a long-term social and cultural decay. The spread of drug addiction, easy access to distorted online content, a lack of moral education within families and the education system, and the tendency to escape punishment after committing crimes are increasing such offenses. These recurring incidents prove that the existing system is not sufficiently effective for child protection.
Supreme Court senior lawyer and human rights activist Fawzia Karim has called for social boycotts of those who have committed sexual offenses. She said, "Such criminals must be resisted and boycotted everywhere, including mosques and markets. Government and private institutions, as well as educational institutions, must speak out against such crimes. The media must play a crucial role in creating public awareness."
When asked why such crimes are not decreasing even though the maximum punishment for rape is the death penalty, this human rights activist said, "Developed countries have abolished the death penalty. Killing someone simply ends their life, but people need to understand. Therefore, punishing the offender and raising awareness among the public is more important."
Rezul Karim Sohag, Head of the Department of Criminology at Dhaka University, has called for taking crimes like violence against children seriously from the very beginning. Speaking about the future, he said, "Behind child abuse, rape, and murder lie specific social, economic, and psychological issues.
Alongside these is a culture of impunity." According to him, many people suffer from loneliness and despair due to families becoming smaller and fragmented. During such times, some engage in extramarital affairs using various online platforms. Such incidents are increasing divorce rates, anger, and vengeance. This also increases the tendency to become involved in drugs. Alongside this, crimes like theft and snatching are also rising.
"Those involved in crimes like rape, murder, and abuse are also often found to be involved in theft, snatching, and drugs. They initially commit minor crimes. But because those crimes go unpunished, they gain the courage to commit major offenses. In this way, they eventually dare to target children and vulnerable people, subjecting them to brutal torture, rape, and murder. They understand that no matter what crime they commit, they will not face any punishment," he said.
"Therefore, whether the crime is small or large, regardless of who the offender is, ensuring a swift trial is essential. At the same time, rehabilitation is necessary to prevent them from re-offending in the future. If offenders can be corrected early on, such crimes will decrease," he added.
