On Begum Rokeya Day, a time to reflect on women’s empowerment and rights, Bangladesh confronts a harrowing reality of a surge in violence against a deep-seated patriarchy and systemic failures.
From the streets of Dhaka to homes across the country, women face escalating threats, while a culture of silence, enforced by social stigma and institutional difference, leaves many suffering in secret.
A harrowing commute
When 24-year-old university student Nabila (pseudonym) left Mouchak around 8pm for Farmgate, she expected a routine commute. Instead, her journey became a harrowing testament to the shrinking safety of women in the city.
As her rickshaw crossed Moghbazar, another rickshaw packed with several men began following her, shouting comments she tried to ignore. Near Hotel Holiday Inn, one of the men suddenly jumped onto her rickshaw, sat beside her, and ordered the puller to keep moving.
“I froze,” Nabila recalled. Terrified, she screamed and shoved him with her bag as he laughed. When traffic slowed near the Truck Stand, the man jumped off and disappeared. The rickshaw-puller later admitted he hadn’t stopped out of the fear of being beaten.
For Nabila, who is used to navigating Dhaka alone, the encounter shattered her sense of safety. “I’ve never experienced anything this degrading and frightening,” she said.
Nabila’s experience is not an isolated incident but part of a disturbing surge in violence. The Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) reported that in November alone, 177 women and girls faced abuse. Among them, 48 were raped, including 25 children; 13 were gang-raped, and two were killed after rape. In total, 103 children suffered abuse, and 20 were killed.
Data from Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK) reveals a similar escalation in domestic spheres. In 2024, Bangladesh recorded 523 domestic violence cases across 12 months. Yet, in just the first 10 months of 2025, the number has already reached 503, nearly equalling the previous year’s total.
Rape cases reflect a comparable trend: 650 incidents in 2024, compared with 401 between January and October 2025, including gang rapes, murders, and suicides. Meanwhile, reports of sexual harassment by stalkers have remained almost unchanged in volume but alarming in frequency, with 166 cases in 2024 and 164 during the first 10 months of 2025.
Maleka Banu, general secretary of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, told TIMES of Bangladesh that violence against women is rooted in entrenched patriarchy and discrimination across family, education, health, work, and property, worsened by dowry practices.
“Women are not regarded as equal human beings, this mindset fuels violence,” she said.
Banu further warned that rising right-wing influence is intensifying violence against women, using religion and morality to reinforce patriarchal control both at home and in public life. “We’re seeing coordinated attacks on women’s rights, and institutions keep retreating. If this continues, violence will only worsen,” she said.
Shima Datta, president of Nari Mukti Kendra, echoed similar concerns regarding the rise of right-wing religious politics. She also noted that the State is mainly responsible for growing abuse and cyberbullying, criticising successive governments for ignoring equality commitments and staying silent when female leaders are attacked.
Providing context on the political landscape, Professor Sabbir Ahmed of the Department of Political Science at the University of Dhaka observed, “After 5 August, we have witnessed a sudden surge of empowerment among certain groups after 17 years.”
He noted, however, that not everyone who feels empowered is liberal; some are conservative by nature. He cautioned, “Freedom comes with limits. One has the right to speak, but not at the expense of another person’s rights. Absolute freedom is not acceptable, even from a liberal perspective.”
Despite the rising danger, a pervasive silence shrouds the victims. Faiza Fairuz, a 23-year-old student, said she has faced harassment in buses since adolescence and often stays quiet because speaking up rarely helps. Helpers push women into cramped “reserved” corners, while men dismiss complaints with comments like, “Women sit at the back.”
In crowded buses, she frequently catches men trying to touch her but avoids reacting, fearing backlash or being blamed and this harassment has escalated since the Pandemic.
A BBS–UNFPA survey found that while 76% of Bangladeshi women experienced intimate partner violence and 49% in the past year, 62% never disclosed it. Non-partner violence is also common, with 15% facing physical and 2.2% sexual violence since age 15.
Women seeking service remains extremely low—only 14.5% sought medical care, and just 12.3% know about the women’s helpline. A 2023 ActionAid survey similarly found over 70% of women harassed in public never reported it.
Justice denied, a cycle perpetuated
Shima Datta explained that this silence is enforced by a justice system and society that often judge the victim instead of the crime.
“A woman can be easily blamed or shamed, as the burden of ‘honour’ is placed on her, not the perpetrator,” she said.
She added that this mindset makes survivors fear further humiliation, pushing them to remain quiet even after severe violence.
Dr Tania Haque, professor of Women and Gender Studies at the University of Dhaka, discussed the persistent challenges in implementing laws. She noted that strong legislation exists, but its impact is limited without consistent and effective application.
“Law should operate independently; governments come and go, but laws must function consistently,” she said, emphasising that enforcement still varies depending on who holds power.
Dr Haque highlighted how deep-rooted social norms encourage people to follow authority rather than uphold principles of justice. These cultural patterns, combined with gaps in family upbringing and institutional practices, allow violence to remain widespread.
“Without impartial enforcement, reduced political influence, and early education on rights and equality, sustainable change will remain out of reach,” warned the doctor.
