‘In 50 years of independence, safe society for women still a far cry’

In the 50 years since Bangladesh's independence, those in power have claimed of many developments in the country but they still haven't been able to ensure a safe and secured society for women, speakers said at an anti-rape rally today.

Citing data, the speakers held the government responsible for the rise of rapes in the hill tracts and on plain land.

"Rape is a crime where the criminals, in most cases, are close aides of the people in power like ruling party men and police. Not only rape, these people are also involved with land grabbing, extortion. These are all linked to power," Anu Muhammad, a professor of Jahangirnagar University and also member-secretary of National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports, told at the rally.

He said the number of incidents reported in media are only based on the cases filed after the incidents.

"The real number of rape incidents are much higher than we get in data," he added.

Anu Muhammad also lamented on the culture of victim blaming.

"Many times we see ruling party men extend support to the criminals and take stance against victim. We see religious preachers are giving sermons against women at Waz Mahfil. We request them to talk against the criminals, against the oppressors, and against the murderers," he said.

The speakers at the rally urged the government to take steps for making the country more women-friendly, and demanded speedy trial of rapists and culprits involved in incidents of violence against women.

They said most of the victims do not get justice in the long run, mentioning the case of Tufan Sarkar in Bogura who got bail recently in a rape case.

The speakers also held the home minister responsible for failing to ensure justice and stop rape and torture of women in the country.

Under the banner of "Bangladesh against Rape and Impunity" led by different leftist political and cultural organisations, protests against rape and violence against women erupted across the country in the beginning of October last year, following the incidents of gang rape in Noakhali's Begumganj upazila and at Sylhet's MC College.

Since then, there have been protests across the country to press home their nine-point demand including reformation of the Evidence Act, implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) charter, exemplary punishment for those involved in gender-based violence, and an end to repression of women in the hills and on plain land.

At the rally today, the speakers announced national convention against rape and impunity at Dhaka in May this year, alongside holding protest programmes and anti-rape conventions in all districts of the country.