Rape is on the rise in Sylhet region with at least 92 women as well as children have been victimised in the last three months, but a very few rape cases actually came to light.
The One Stop Crisis Centre (OCC) in Osmani Medical College Hospital revealed that there is a high prevalence of child rape in the district as child daughters remain unprotected in their home because their uneducated parents are not aware of their childrens' safety.
The actual number of rape victims might be higher than the number of victims who came to the OCC for treatment.
In many cases the victims are examined in the forensic department and go to court and they do not come to the OCC, said a source from the centre.
Although 92 incidents of rape happened in the last three months, only 29 cases were filed with police as the victims and their family members are unwilling to speak because most of the victims do not get justice and are threatened by rapists.
Recently, some unidentified masked men have gang- raped two girls after tying up their parents at Sylhet.
Police said seven to eight people broke into the victims residence located at Beanibazar upazila’s Charkhai Union at night and raped the girls after tying up their parents.
The victims underwent treatment at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College and Hospital for several days.
Although a case was filed in this connection, police are yet to arrest anyone in this connection.
On June 20, a nine-year-old girl has allegedly been raped at a hotel in Sylhet city.
A team of police has rescued the victim from Hotel Biroti in South Surma the following day, two days after she went missing from Gonairghat area.
Then, police said the rapists might have abducted the girl and later on raped her. She was also treated at the state-owned hospital.
Apart from these incidents, a good number of rape cases have been under procedure at different courts in Hobiganj, Moulvibazar and Sunamganj, but the centre could not provide the detail of the cases.
Sources at the OCC said illiteracy, poverty and love affair were the main reason behind rape.
According to OCC statistics, 30 women as well as children had been admitted to the centre in June, in July 21 while the number was 36 in August.
During the period last year, some 80 rape victims were undergoing treatment at the One Stop Crisis centre from June to August.
Assistant Professor of Social Welfare Department of Shahjalal Science and Technology University Tahmina Islam told the Dhaka Tribune that incidents of rape had exponentially increased in the division. Poor girl children are vulnerable at different slums of the city when their parents go to work, she said.
The government should strengthen social safety network programme to save girl children from being raped, she said.
When contacted, Police Super, Sylhet Nur-e-Alam Mina told the Dhaka Tribune that most of the rape happened due to love affair.
But he could not give an accurate picture of sexual abuse of women and child in and around Sylhet city.
Girl whose age are from 16 to 18 are the worst victim of rape.
As many people of Sylhet live in UK, their children take advantage of the situation and they stay with their lover out of house which is the number one reason for rape.
Many expatriate go abroad leaving their female partner in a vulnerable position and their close relatives take advantage of the situation. He termed it as main reason for the increase in the incidents of rape in the district.
Assistant Director of Sylhet Women Support Centre care for the rape victims at their centre for up to six months.
Currently, a victim of rape is undergoing treatment at the centre.
An official of the OSCC centre who preferred to be unnamed told the Dhaka Tribune that victims of rape not only need medical treatment and rehabilitation, but also counseling so that they can continue with their daily life.
