Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq has said that the increase in maximum penalty for rape from life imprisonment to death penalty will serve to reduce the number of such crimes committed in the country.
The minister made the remarks at a press conference at his Gulshan office in the capital on Monday afternoon.
“The maximum punishment for rape is being raised as a result of circumstances. There’s a lot of controversy around the world concerning the death penalty. But since rape has reached such epidemic proportions in the country, the prime minister decided that punishment for such crimes should be increased. The law is being amended to reflect that,” he said.
Also Read - Cabinet approves inclusion of death penalty in anti-rape law
Earlier on Thursday, the law minister said that his ministry had made a proposal for approving death penalty as the highest punishment for rape.
On Monday, the cabinet approved the amendment of the Prevention of Women & Children Repression Act-2000 to include death penalty for perpetrators of rape.
A series of rape incidents have rocked Bangladesh in recent weeks, triggering countrywide protests.
According to Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK), between January and September of 2020, nearly 1,000 rape cases were reported, including 208 gang rapes.
