The Rape Law Reform Coalition (RLRC) has strongly demanded protection for rape survivors, their families, and witnesses following the recent increase in rape and rape-related murder cases across the country.
The demand was made at a press conference held at the Sagar-Runi Auditorium of Dhaka Reporters Unity on Wednesday.
At the press conference, the coalition condemned several recent brutal incidents. On 25 February, a 15-year-old girl was abducted in front of her father in Madhabdi, Narsingdi, and her body was later recovered.
On 24 February, a former student of Jahangirnagar University allegedly forced a current female student to his house and raped her.
On 28 February, the bodies of a grandmother and her granddaughter were recovered in Ishwardi, Pabna.
On 1 March, a seven-year-old child was brutally raped in the Sitakunda Botanical Garden area of Chittagong and later died on 3 March while receiving treatment.
RLRC strongly condemned these incidents and said the offenders must be brought to justice quickly through proper investigation.
The coalition said that such violence goes against Articles 27, 28, 31 and 32 of the Constitution of Bangladesh. It also conflicts with the Women and Children Repression Prevention (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 and the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
The group also mentioned that the campaign “Reform the Rape Law Now” started in 2018 to identify weaknesses in existing laws and propose necessary reforms to ensure justice for survivors.
Main Demands of RLRC:
1.Fair and speedy investigation of recent cases and proper punishment of the accused
2.Protection and compensation for survivors, their families, and witnesses
3.Accountability of government service providers
4.Expanding the definition of rape to make it inclusive and non-discriminatory
5.Ensuring justice for survivors with disabilities and introducing a separate witness protection law
6.Completely banning the use of a survivor’s character evidence in rape cases and properly applying Sections 146(3) and 151 of the Evidence (Amendment) Act, 2022
7.Strengthening coordination among health services, the judiciary, and related institutions
8.Converting the Women and Children Repression Prevention (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 into a full law with necessary reforms
The coalition expressed hope that the newly elected government will take strong and quick steps to prevent violence against women and girls and ensure justice and rule of law in the country.