Every day, more and more children in Bangladesh, both male female, are facing sexual abuse or becoming victims of rape.
The heinous crime has risen to such a level that a girl as young as four years old had to be admitted to the One-Stop Crisis Centre. Later, a 52-year-old pervert was arrested over the incident on November 6.
Meanwhile, an accused was jailed for life on November 12 for raping another four-year-old in Dhaka’s Nawabganj area in 2018.
Moreover, a mentally challenged 11-year-old child was also reportedly raped in Narayanganj on November 3.
Most of the time, the culprits are somehow related to the children. On October 28, a man was arrested in Chuadanga for raping his grandchild while another man was arrested on the same night for raping his fifth-grader stepdaughter.
Recently, several media reports of male children being raped have surfaced. Many of them were raped by their school and madrasa teachers.
On October 19, Rangunia police arrested a madrasa teacher, Md Nasir, 35, after receiving several complaints that he followed a routine to rape the male students of the madrasa.
In connection to all such incidents, it can be said over the past two years, child rapes are on the rise in Bangladesh.
In 2020, at least 974 child rape incidents were reported between January and November, according to the data of Ain o Salish Kendra. The highest number of child rapes (229) was recorded in October while the second highest (118) was recorded in last month.
The total number of child rapes recorded in 2019 was 986, more than twice the numbers recorded in 2018 (444) and 2017 (470). The number was much lower in 2016 (280).
Meanwhile, a total of 1,451 incidents of violence against children were also reported between January and October while only 827 cases were filed. At least 324 victims were between the age of seven and 12 where 176 of them were aged below six, according to Ain o Salish Kendra.
Experts’ suggestions
Experts echoed on common points that the incidents of child rape should be trialled immediately and the verdicts should be publicized to curb further incidents.
They also opined that the children of under privileged communities are mainly becoming the victims of rape as their families are unable to fight the culprits legally due to lack of financial ability or because they are threatened by powerful men in the society.
Abdullah Al Mamun, director of Child Protection and Child Rights Governance at Save the Children Bangladesh, complained that no research has been initiated by the government to find out the reason behind the alarming rise of child rapes in the country.
The number of child rapes has seen a new hike during the Covid-19 lockdown and pandemic period, said Mamun, adding that children should never be kept in unsecured spaces and they should also be made aware of “bad touch.”
Use of narcotics and information and communication technology should also be surveilled regularly for curbing such crimes, he added.
Abdus Shahid Mahmood, director of Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum (BSAF), said only the sincerity of the government can curb the alarming rise of child rapes.
“The number of rapes has increased after the decision to introduce the death penalty for rape. I do not think the crime can be stopped in this way. Besides, many rapists are being freed under political shelter. This social problem can be solved by building awareness, applying proper law and implementing it in due time,” he added.
Abdus Shahid also said that female teachers should be appointed as chief in madrasas for females while arrangements should be made for male chief teachers in madrasas for male, where he can live with his family. Moreover, the time students spend at madrasas should be limited.
Noted sociologist and acting dean of Social Science faculty of Dhaka University Prof Sadeka Halim emphasized on sex education and said it should be included in the syllabus of primary schools.
“Open discussion should be done in community and religious institutions like mosques and madrasas, and also in mass media. Moreover, the punishment needs to be ensured within limited time,” she added.
Child rapes in Pakistan and India
As many as 1,489 children, at least eight per day, were sexually abused in Pakistan in the first half of 2020. The victims included 785 girls and 704 boys, according to Sahil, an organisation working for child protection in the country.
As reported by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) of India, a total of 13,244 of child pornography or rape and gang rape complaints were lodged from March to mid-September this year.
