Gang rape of teenage girl

In yet another tragic case of sexual violence, a teenage girl was allegedly gang raped in the capital during the early hours of Thursday. The victim, a resident of Gabtoli and class IX student at a school in Mirpur, alleges that she was forced into a building by three youths as they spotted her unaccompanied in the early hours of yesterday morning. Officer-in-Charge of Lalbagh Police Station Moniruzzaman told The Daily Star that the victim was rescued from the roof of a three-storey under-construction building at Shaheed Nagar at around 4:30 am on a tip-off from the victim's boyfriend Sujon who was with her on the fateful night. Police have arrested Rana, 23, an alleged rapist, and are looking for the other two.

Despite assurances from the government that gender-based violence will be tackled head on, violence against women and children remains widespread. When outrageous incidents of sexual assault -- such as that during Pahela Baishakh celebrations and gang rapes of several girls and women that have come to light this year -- go unaddressed by authorities, it perpetuates the culture of impunity whereby sexual predators are hardly discouraged from committing such despicable crimes. The perpetrators of this horrendous crime must be brought to book immediately and exemplary punishment given to the rapists. 

The government and society at large must commit to eradicating violence against women in this country. Changes must take place at the institutional as well as the family and individual levels for the establishment of a more egalitarian, violence-free society.