Trapped in silence: Domestic violence remains widespread in Bangladesh

Tasnuba Akhter Rifa :

Despite progress in education and the concept of the women’s empowerment, domestic violence against female members in families in Bangladesh continues to occur at an alarming rate.

The latest survey paints a grim picture of persistent abuse within households across the country and the cultural and social barriers that keep women trapped in silence.

The survey titled, ‘Violence Against Women Survey 2024’ conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), showed one in every two women in Bangladesh faces violence from her husband.

Around 76 per cent of women have experienced some form of physical, sexual, psychological, or economic violence or controlling behaviour by their husbands at some point in their lives. In the past year alone, the figure stood at 49 per cent.

The more concerning matter the report revealed that nearly two-thirds (62pc) of women who suffered such violence never disclosed it or sought any help.

Experts say this silence is rooted in deep-seated cultural expectations, family pressure, and the fear of social stigma that discourages women from leaving abusive marriages.

Many women grow up hearing that a “good wife” must be patient and tolerant, even if she suffers abuse.

Divorce is still viewed by many families as a disgrace, and a divorced woman is often blamed rather than supported.

As a result, thousands of victims continue to endure abuse behind closed doors.

Experts expressed anxiety saying the domestic violence still remaining as a burning stigma in our society.

When contacted National Bar Association of Bangladesh President, and Supreme Court Senior Lawyer, Advocate Shah Khosruzzaman on Friday told The New Nation, “Domestic violence increased due to patience of the people has been decreased now.

To reduce these, social awareness programmes have to be increased by government and non-government organisaitons.”

He also suggested include the issue into textbooks for the future generation.

The lawyer said there are legal aid services are remaining in every bar across the country including supreme court bar.

He urged all women to take legal shelter if become victimized by family members.

As per the latest data, 54 per cent of women have faced physical or sexual violence from their husbands during their lifetime.

Among those who experienced sexual violence, 60 per cent reported being victimised multiple times in a year.

Several victims shared their personal stories with The New Nation on Wednesday and Thursday, exposing the emotional and physical toll of such violence.

Shima (45) a senior manager in a private firm in Dhaka, said financial independence alone does not protect women from judgment.

“Even with a good job, I can’t just walk away. People will question my character, not his behaviour. In our society, a woman leaving her husband is seen as the one who failed.”

“My husband beats me when he doesn’t like what I do,” said Zara Ahmed (32) a freelancer from Tangail.

“He expects total obedience. I’ve thought about suicide just to end this torture, because society would rather see me dead than divorced,” Zara said.

Tamima (34), a housewife from Sutrapur, said her mother-in-law often instigates her husband to beat her. “He follows her orders and assaults me in front of our children. When I said I’d go to the police, he threatened to divorce me, my family told me to stay quiet for the sake of my kids,” she said.

Keya (27), a primary school teacher from Gendaria, shared that her husband assaulted her after she confronted him over an extramarital affair, while she was five months pregnant.

“He hit me even then. My family members told me not to complain, saying I should stay for the baby’s sake,” she shared.

Pipuly (47) from Lalbagh endured years of abuse in silence. “For 15 years, I tolerated his violence for the sake of my children. I was afraid that if I spoke up, my children would suffer,” she said.

Anamika (52) from Luxmi Bazar faced severe mental abuse from both her husband and mother-in-law. “Their constant torture broke me mentally. I became depressed and even tried to end my life several times,” she said.

Although the prevalence of spousal violence has declined from 66 per cent in 2015 to 49 per cent in 2024 experts say the reduction is insufficient.

They attribute the persistence of abuse to patriarchal norms, dowry practices, and limited access to legal and medical support systems for women.

Experts also highlight that violence often continues even during pregnancy. About 7.2 per cent of married women reported physical abuse and 5.3 per cent reported sexual abuse while pregnant, posing serious risks to both maternal and newborn health.

They have pointed to several contributing factors, including early marriage, dowry practices, husbands’ drug addiction, extramarital affairs, and residence in urban slums. Conversely, higher education among men appears to reduce the likelihood of committing spousal violence.

They warn that without addressing the structural and cultural roots of gender-based violence, progress will remain slow. They stress that ending domestic violence requires more than legal reform it demands a transformation in social attitudes.