Arrest Faridpur gang rape perpetrators

We are deeply disturbed by a recent report on gang rapes in Faridpur and the fact that such incidents continue to occur unabated. According to the report, one woman was allegedly gang-raped in a moving microbus in the district’s Pangsha upazila, while another was gang-raped in a field in Bhanga upazila. These incidents once again expose the extreme insecurity faced by women in public spaces in Bangladesh. That such crimes continue to occur with an alarming regularity is a grim reflection of how deeply entrenched sexual violence has become in our society.

Almost every day, there are reports of women and girls being harassed and attacked in public spaces, on the streets, in workplaces, and even within their own homes. According to Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), in the first two months of this year alone, 66 women and girls were raped across the country. However, these figures reflect only the reported incidents, while many more remain unreported. We must ask: why are such crimes continue to take place unabated? And why do perpetrators so often feel emboldened to commit them?

Worryingly, according to a 2024 survey by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), around 50 percent of women in the country don’t know where to report incidents of assault. In cases of rape, even when incidents are reported and cases are filed, conviction rates remain low and uncertain. Lengthy legal processes, inadequate investigations, weak forensic capacity, and insufficient witness protection all contribute to a system where accountability is often delayed or denied altogether. This culture of impunity sends a dangerous message to potential offenders: that sexual violence carries limited consequences. At the same time, survivors are often left to bear the burden alone. Beyond the physical trauma, they face severe psychological distress, social stigma, and a lack of adequate state support. Without strong medical, legal and psychological assistance, the pursuit of justice becomes all the more difficult.

As cases have already been filed by the survivors in the Faridpur incidents, we call for the immediate arrest of all those involved and demand that they be brought to trial without delay. Justice must be swift and transparent in such cases. At the same time, the authorities must ensure full medical and psychological support for the survivors, along with adequate protection for them and their families. We urge the government to also make an unequivocal commitment to ensuring women’s safety everywhere and to bring an end to all forms of gender-based violence once and for all.