Joynal Abedin Khan :
The child rape incidents are increasing day by day because the guilty are not punished in most cases because of weak charge sheets.
A total of 138 children were raped in the last four months (January to April), says Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum, a Child Rights Forum of the country.
In addition, 95 children were killed, of which 23 were found dead after abduction, it showed.
The figure of rape incident was 121 in the first four months of 2015 compared with 66 in 2014.
A total of 727 children were sexually assaulted and raped in 2015, contrarily it was 227 in 2014.
It showed that assaults on children rose by 14 pc this year over 2015, while 350 pc rose in 2015 more than 2014.
The BSAF said that 70 pc accused had been acquitted from rape cases in the courts for unsatisfactory evidence.
The Dhaka Medical College and Hospital’s One-Stop Crisis Centre database said, at least four to five victims of rape come to hospital every day. At least one-third of them is children.
Prof Zia Rahman, Chairman of the Criminology Department of Dhaka University, told The New Nation, “The criminal justice system needed short term reforms for ensuring punishment and long term reforms as well.
The BSAF Chairman Ekramul Haque Chaudhury said, the culture of delaying justice is the main reason of rape and brutal killings after rape.
Child rape has been on the rise because justice has not been ensured for most victims, he said. Advocate Alena Khan, Chief Executive of Bangladesh Human Rights Foundation, said that the reported numbers are just the tip of the iceberg.
“Often the victim’s family believes that they will not get proper support from law enforcement, and it is one of the reasons that the predators have become more aggressive. Besides, no complaints are lodged many times.,” she said.
Md Humayun Kabir, Deputy Inspector General (Crime) at Police HQ, said police has increased vigilance across the country. A child-friendly desk has also been opened at each police station.
“If a police official is found to have been negligent in investigating, we take action against them as well,” he said.
The child rape incidents are increasing day by day because the guilty are not punished in most cases because of weak charge sheets.
A total of 138 children were raped in the last four months (January to April), says Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum, a Child Rights Forum of the country.
In addition, 95 children were killed, of which 23 were found dead after abduction, it showed.
The figure of rape incident was 121 in the first four months of 2015 compared with 66 in 2014.
A total of 727 children were sexually assaulted and raped in 2015, contrarily it was 227 in 2014.
It showed that assaults on children rose by 14 pc this year over 2015, while 350 pc rose in 2015 more than 2014.
The BSAF said that 70 pc accused had been acquitted from rape cases in the courts for unsatisfactory evidence.
The Dhaka Medical College and Hospital’s One-Stop Crisis Centre database said, at least four to five victims of rape come to hospital every day. At least one-third of them is children.
Prof Zia Rahman, Chairman of the Criminology Department of Dhaka University, told The New Nation, “The criminal justice system needed short term reforms for ensuring punishment and long term reforms as well.
The BSAF Chairman Ekramul Haque Chaudhury said, the culture of delaying justice is the main reason of rape and brutal killings after rape.
Child rape has been on the rise because justice has not been ensured for most victims, he said. Advocate Alena Khan, Chief Executive of Bangladesh Human Rights Foundation, said that the reported numbers are just the tip of the iceberg.
“Often the victim’s family believes that they will not get proper support from law enforcement, and it is one of the reasons that the predators have become more aggressive. Besides, no complaints are lodged many times.,” she said.
Md Humayun Kabir, Deputy Inspector General (Crime) at Police HQ, said police has increased vigilance across the country. A child-friendly desk has also been opened at each police station.
“If a police official is found to have been negligent in investigating, we take action against them as well,” he said.
