Violence against women and children continues to rise in the country as police mostly fail to arrest the perpetrators, experts said.
They said the number of arrests made in connection with incidents of violence against women and children is insignificant.
But law enforcement officials disagreed, saying that this is not the reason why there is an increase in violence.
They said they succeed in arresting the culprits most of the time but have to release them later due to lack of evidence.
A female patient recently faced sexual abuse at United Hospital in the capital when she was undergoing an operation. In less than a week, a Dhaka University student was harassed by a bus helper in Dhaka when she was returning to her university.
In the first case, the accused was clearly identified but police failed to arrest him and the accused in the second incident was detained.
According to experts, criminals become reckless and repeat offenders when they get off scot-free.
Ziaur Rahman, chairman of the Department of Criminology at Dhaka University, told the Dhaka Tribune only arresting the perpetrators is not enough. “We have to ensure that the arrestees are subjected to punitive measures as soon as possible after their arrest. They have to be brought to book.”
Bangladesh Mahila Parishad lawyer Dipti Rani Das yesterday said at a programme in Segunbagicha rape victims need to prove that they had been violated and this is something that needs to be changed.
“In rape cases, I think it is the accused who should prove to court that they are innocent,” she said.
Laila Arjuman Banu, a gynaecologist, is of the opinion that many families do not desire to have female children as they think they would not be able to raise girls properly.
She said people should get rid of this patriarchal mentality if they truly want to bring a significant change in the society.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police Joint Commissioner Krishnapada Roy said police should seriously look into a complaint irrespective of the gender of the victim and provide legal help.
According to Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, some 319 women and children were sexually abused and stalked from January to November this year. Also during this period, around 4,116 women and children were subjected to oppression. Of them, some 1,016 women were raped and 192 women gang-raped while 82 were killed after rape.
Police statistics say around 6,077 cases were lodged over acts of violence against woman and children between August and October. 464 of the cases were filed in Dhaka.
Experts also said the judicial system should be more female-friendly and parents have to teach boys since an early age to respect girls.