Fear, anger mount over brutal crimes
Growing concern over violence against women and children has intensified amid what analysts describe as a worsening law and order situation across the country, with recent incidents of rape, murder and domestic violence triggering widespread fear and public outrage.
Experts say family conflict, social tensions, moral decline, weakening family bonds, drug abuse and the spread of harmful online content are contributing to increasingly violent behaviour.
Children, they warn, are among the most vulnerable victims.
According to Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), between 1 January and 23 May this year, 120 children were raped and 48 faced attempted rape.
Fourteen children were killed after being raped, while three died following attempted assaults.
Two child victims later died by suicide. ASK also recorded 115 child murders between January and April.
An analysis of five recent rape and murder cases found that in every instance the victims allegedly knew the perpetrators, who were identified as neighbours, relatives or acquaintances.
Human rights activists and crime analysts argue that these crimes are rooted not only in individual criminal behaviour but also in long-term social and cultural decline, the growing availability of drugs, harmful online content, lack of moral education and a culture of impunity.
They also say lengthy investigations and delayed trials leave victims’ families waiting years for justice.
The brutal rape and murder of seven-year-old Ramisa Akhter in Pallabi, Dhaka, recently shocked the nation, sparking grief and anger across social media and public discourse.
Similar outrage followed the widely discussed case of eight-year-old Acia, who died days after being raped.
Although the accused, Hitu Sheikh, received the death penalty, the sentence has yet to be carried out due to an ongoing appeal.
In another recent incident, two young men in Narayanganj Sadar Upazila have been accused of raping a six-year-old child.
Police said the suspects, Hero, 22, and Sohel, 21, remain absconding following the incident on 22 May in the Char Boyargadi area of Boktabali Union.
According to locals, the child was allegedly lured away while playing near her home and assaulted.
She was first taken to Munshiganj General Hospital before being transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where she remains under treatment.
According to Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, 632 women were killed in 2025, while 786 women were raped, including 543 children. In the first four months of this year alone, 178 women were raped.
Data from Dhaka Metropolitan Police show that in April 2026, 17 murders were recorded in the capital, alongside 70 rape cases involving women and children, 98 incidents of abuse and 21 kidnappings.
Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) reported that around 770 murders took place nationwide between January and March this year, averaging more than 250 murders per month.
Crime analysts say delayed justice and slow execution of sentences continue to encourage repeat offences.
They argue that swift investigations, timely trials and prompt enforcement of punishments are essential to reducing violent crime and restoring public confidence in the justice system.
