Repression against women has increased alarmingly in and around Rajshahi city with torture of 191 women in last 12 months.
A research conducted by the Association for Community Development (ACD), a human rights group, yesterday disclosed the statistics over violence against women on the occasion of the International Women’s Day.
The study say crimes against women has risen to great extent due to lax monitoring by the law enforcement agencies, delay in getting justice and lack of social awareness programmes.
According to the statistics, a total of 22 incidents of violence against women were recorded in 2010 while the number rose to 191 in the last 12 months.
A total of 191 women were tortured in and around Rajshahi city from March 2014 to February 2015.
Of the total number, 19 women were killed, 48 women committed suicide over family feud, 10 female were raped, 29 women faced sexual harassment, 48 women were assaulted by in-laws, six women were victim of attempt to murder, seven went missing and 12 women were abducted.
The ACD gathered this information from reports published in various national and local newspapers of the country.
Considering the number of women victims, Salima Sarwar, the executive director of the ACD, expressed deep concern over the issue. She said women were being victim of political turmoil, family and social degradation.
She also viewed that following the rape, repression, physical abuse and family disputes, the number of suicidal incidents are increasing alarmingly.
The numbers of such victims are more than the statistics which are not published in newspapers, she added.
“Lax enforcement of laws in most of the cases is the main cause for increasing the number of victims in the Rajshahi city,” she said.
Salima, however, urged for strengthening legal assistance and effective enforcement of laws regarding women repression to eliminate the number of violence against women.
Razia Sultana, executive director of Nobodiganta Mohila Uddayan Sangstha of Rajshahi, said: “Most of the victims who come to us are victim of household disputes.
“There is now no alternative but to end child marriage and dowry system to stop the violence against women,” she said.
Social awareness and social empowerment of women could reduce the number of such victims to a greater extent, she added.
Urging all to be united for strengthening the rights of women, She said: “We should create a congenial atmosphere for women at all spheres so that they are ensured equal rights.”