The session brought together experts on gender-based violence, women’s issues, and social justice. The six speakers included Syeda Samara Mortada (UN Women Bangladesh), Ishret Binte Wahid (SOAS, University of London), Mahapara Sanjana Khan (University of York), Meherba Sabrin (Eastern University, Bangladesh), Luthfunnahar Shancyi (ActionAid Bangladesh), and Resat Amin Priya (Florida Atlantic University, USA). These presenters offered diverse insights into the systemic and deeply rooted challenges women and girls face across Bangladesh and worldwide.
The Harsh Reality of Sexual Violence in Bangladesh and Embedded Rape Culture
Recent data reveals just how severe the crisis has become. According to the Bangladesh Women’s Lawyers’ Association, 84 percent of women in Bangladesh face sexual harassment in the workplace, on the streets, and online. Between 2015 and 2023, over 3,400 cases of child rape were reported, which equates to an average of roughly ten reported cases daily. Of these, 933 involved children aged seven to 12, and 539 involved children under the age of six. Tragically, these numbers reflect only the reported cases. The following testimony of one survivor echoes the fear that many women live with daily. “I feared men for years and avoided family gatherings. Even now, I carry a cutter (small knife) in my bag”. Just last week, the rape and death of an eight-year-old girl shook the nation. This incident, along with culminating violence against women and girls, has sparked mass protests in Dhaka and beyond. The case has also ignited public pressure on the government to reform laws related to rape and the safety of
Bangladesh National Women Lawyers’ Association. (2022). Round table discussion on sexual harassment prevention in the context of Bangladesh. Retrieved 18 March 2025, https://bnwla-bd.org/news-events/bnwla-in-media/round-table-discussion-on-sexual-harassment-prevention-in-the-context-of-bangladesh/; UN Women. (2024, November). A step forward for women’s safety in Bangladesh: The push for sexual harassment legislation. Retrieved 18 March 2025, from https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/feature-story/2024/11/a-step-forward-for-womens-safety-in-bangladesh-the-push-for-sexual-harassment-legislation.
Butler, G. (14 March 2025) Fierce protests as eight-year-old rape victim dies in Bangladesh
BBC News. Retrieved 23 March, 2025, from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce30k9g6x2eo.
ibid.
UN Women. (2024, November). A step forward for women’s safety in Bangladesh: The push for sexual harassment legislation. Retrieved 18 March 2025, from https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/feature-story/2024/11/a-step-forward-for-womens-safety-in-bangladesh-the-push-for-sexual-harassment-legislation.
Butler, G. (14 March 2025) Fierce protests as eight-year-old rape victim dies in Bangladesh
BBC News. Retrieved 23 March 2025, from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce30k9g6x2eo.
women and children in Bangladesh. In response, the interim government’s Advisory Council passed an amendment to the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act that reduces the investigation period of rape cases from 30 days to 15 days and the time for completing the trial from 180 days to 90 days. It also states that a special tribunal will be established to handle child rape cases.
One of the most powerful and harrowing testimonies came from Ishret Binte Wahid, a PhD Fellow at SOAS University of London, who recounted the story of a Bangladeshi rape survivor who was subjected to a forced abortion in which acid was inserted into her uterus. This devastating account underscored the brutal forms of violence women face, not only during the act of sexual violence but also in its aftermath, and the severe lack of accessible health resources and trauma-informed care.
Luthfunnahar Shancyi of ActionAid Bangladesh detailed further grim statistics: around 400 women and children are trafficked each month in the country, many of them into the sex industry, with girls as young as 12 also facing acid attacks, child marriage, and other forms of exploitation in schools, at home, and in factories. Activists in protests nationwide are also pointing out that the country seriously lacks proper services for victims of sexual violence. For instance, while Bangladesh’s penal law requires DNA testing for rape cases, there is only one laboratory for DNA testing in the entire country of 171 million people.
Women’s activism online is growing, but it faces significant challenges. Resat Amin Priya shared how social media often reinforces harmful gender stereotypes, portraying women primarily through their sexual identity rather than their intellect or achievements. Priya stated that many women are still afraid to express their opinions online due to the risk of backlash.
Priya further explained that platforms like Meta fail to regulate online harassment adequately and that internet-based gender-based violence (GBV) is likely only to grow with Meta’s removal of restrictions regulating hate speech and offensive online rhetoric. Harmful societal norms, such as discouraging women from laughing loudly or reacting to violence, Priya shared, further undermine women’s confidence and silence their voices. The connection between people’s online presence and offline lives reinforces the need for reform and protection in both spaces.
Legal Frameworks and Enforcement Gaps
Reforms must begin culturally and institutionally, starting with updating legal protections to address modern-day lived realities. The legal framework criminalising gender-based sexual
Sumon, S. (2025, March 20). Bangladesh passes new women, child protection law after rape and death of 8-year-old. Arab News. Retrieved 18 March 2025, from https://www.arabnews.com/node/2594272/amp.
Bates, S. (21 March 2025). Bangladesh students battle sexist colonial law. Socialist Worker. Retrieved 23 March 2025, from https://socialistworker.co.uk/news/bangladesh-students-battle-sexist-colonial-law/.
violence remains outdated. For instance, Bangladesh’s definition of rape, based on a 160-year-old colonial law, only recognises penile penetration and excludes marital rape unless the wife is under 13. This definition excludes a wide range of sexual violence and reforms, which are being discussed according to UN Women but have yet to be meaningfully implemented.
The state has yet to implement a long-pending witness protection law drafted over a decade ago—one that could provide crucial security for survivors seeking justice. Meanwhile, the introduction of the death penalty for rape has shown no statistical correlation with reduced incidents, raising questions about the effectiveness of punitive approaches without systemic reform.
Meherba Sabrin of Eastern University highlighted that while Bangladesh’s constitution guarantees equal rights for women, legal implementation remains weak. Laws such as the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act and the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act exist, but enforcement is inconsistent, particularly with rising cases of online harassment and hate speech. She emphasised the importance of involving religious leaders and community influencers in changing social attitudes toward gender-based violence.
UN Frameworks and the Global Context
Samara Mortada of UN Women Bangladesh emphasised that UN Women is the only UN agency exclusively dedicated to promoting gender equality and women empowerment. While gender equality has become more prominent across various UN platforms, it has only recently been addressed as a core priority within many UN agencies. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) serves as the cornerstone of much of UN Women Bangladesh’s work, as Bangladesh is a signatory to the treaty.
Mortada also spoke to the importance of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, which focuses on women, peace, and security, and highlights the disproportionate impact of conflict on women and girls. She referenced General Recommendation 40 (GR40) under CEDAW, which focuses on young women’s leadership and participation in political life, and emphasised that violence against women must be addressed within the broader social and political structures that perpetuate it.
Calls for Justice and Reform and the Future Ahead
Wahid also spoke passionately about how deeply entrenched patriarchy and misogyny are in Bangladeshi society, calling for a radical overhaul of the country’s political and legal systems. She emphasised that women’s rights must be addressed holistically, not treated as isolated issues.
ibid.
She also highlighted how populist politics and harmful media portrayals reinforce societal misogyny, further marginalising women. “We need to examine the content we consume and the people we place in power”, she asserted. “We want a political apparatus where women’s issues are integrated into the core fabric of state governance”.
Popular figures continue to make troubling statements that blame victims for their abuse. Actor Ananta Jalil suggested that the way women dress invites sexual violence, while the country’s information minister attributed rape to pornography. Such scapegoating not only silences survivors but also perpetuates a dangerous culture of impunity.
Mahapara Sanjana Khan from the University of York focused on the critical role of education in promoting social justice. She argued that true empowerment means giving women and girls agency, which requires access to rights-based education and safe, inclusive learning environments. Khan stressed the importance of culturally responsive teaching and the need to bring marginalised women into educational spaces. Education must be a catalyst for change, not a tool for replicating colonial and patriarchal realities.
All the speakers unanimously agreed that tackling GBV in Bangladesh requires transformative change at every level—from law and education to politics, media, and community engagement. Survivors must be supported, not stigmatised. Institutions must be reformed, not merely tweaked. Empowerment must be defined not by token representation, but by agency, safety, and equity must be guaranteed for all women and girls.
Collectively, the roundtable was a powerful call to action for policymakers, civil society, educators, and everyday citizens to confront the structural roots of GBV in Bangladesh and build a future grounded in gender equality.
References
Bangladesh National Women Lawyers’ Association. (2022). Round table discussion on sexual
harassment prevention in the context of Bangladesh. Retrieved March 18, 2025, from
https://bnwla-bd.org/news-events/bnwla-in-media/round-table-discussion-on-sexual-har
ssment-prevention-in-the-context-of-bangladesh/
Bates, S. (2025, March 21). Bangladesh students battle sexist colonial law. Socialist Worker.
Retrieved March 23, 2025, from
https://socialistworker.co.uk/news/bangladesh-students-battle-sexist-colonial-law/
Butler, G. (2025, March 14). Fierce protests as eight-year-old rape victim dies in Bangladesh.
BBC News. Retrieved March 23, 2025, from
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce30k9g6x2eo
Sumon, S. (2025, March 20). Bangladesh passes new women, child protection law after rape and
death of 8-year-old. Arab News. Retrieved March 18, 2025, from
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2594272/amp
UN Women. (2024, November). A step forward for women’s safety in Bangladesh: The push for
sexual harassment legislation. Retrieved March 18, 2025, from
https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/feature-story/2024/11/a-step-forward-for-w
mens-safety-in-bangladesh-the-push-for-sexual-harassment-legislation
