After the interim government assumed office, 748 incidents of rape were reported in the country in 2025, which was 53.6 per cent higher than the previous year.
Releasing the information on Monday, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad said violence against women and girls in the country had turned into a deep national crisis.
The organisation presented the findings at a press conference held at the National Press Club in the capital to launch a survey report titled “The State of Violence Against Women and Girls in Bangladesh-2025”.
Afruza Arman, senior training and research officer of the organisation, said the survey was conducted on the basis of incidents of violence against women and girls published in 14 national dailies.
However, the variation was not limited to rape, as the overall picture of violence against women and children also showed changes. According to the survey, a total of 2,808 incidents of violence against women and children were reported in the country in one year, compared with 2,505 in 2024.
According to the Mahila Parishad survey, offenders often evade justice as charge sheets are not submitted on time due to political patronage, the involvement of influential people, bias and various forms of pressure.
The organisation also identified the social tendency to blame victims and the increased risk of evidence being destroyed during prolonged judicial proceedings as key reasons for offenders’ impunity.
The survey further found that, in most cases, attempts were made to suppress rape incidents socially through arbitration.
The press conference was told that, over one year, attempts were made to cover up 40 per cent of sexual harassment incidents, 8 per cent of single-perpetrator rape cases and 7 per cent of gang rape cases through arbitration.
Who are at greatest risk
The survey said women and children were abused mostly by husbands and family members. This means women and girls of all ages are safe with almost no one.
According to the survey findings, 38 per cent of women murdered in one year were killed by their husbands or family members. In addition, neighbours were responsible for 25 per cent of single-perpetrator rapes and 34 per cent of attempted rapes, while teachers were involved in 19 per cent of sexual harassment incidents.
A total of 22 per cent of gang rape incidents were committed by criminals, local hoodlums and juvenile gangs.
The press conference called for effective law enforcement, speedy trials, accountability and greater social awareness to ensure the safety of women and girls.
Mahila Parishad President Fauzia Moslem said women, from six-year-old children to those aged over 60, faced the risk of violence at every stage of life. She described the fact that the highest number of rape incidents involved girls aged between six and nine as a matter of grave concern for society.
She said incidents of murder alongside rape were also increasing. This was bringing the wider crisis of social security and humanity to the fore.
