SUCCESSIVE governments’ commitment to women’s empowerment and gender equality has not been translated into meaningful action as violence against women continues unabated. At least 265 women and children, according to the Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, were subjected to different forms of violence in June. Of the victims, 50 were murdered, and another 20 died under unusual circumstances. In 2022, the Ain O Salish Kendra recorded at least 936 cases of sexual violence. In 2022, 79 women were tortured to death for dowry, and 123 legal cases were filed over dowry related violence. Women’s organisations, however, assume that the real situation is much worse, as all cases are not reported in the media. Violence and harassment in cyberspace are also on the rise. The Police Cyber Support for Women wing earlier reported that a section of social media users is increasingly using social media platforms to harass and stalk women. The prevailing scenario makes it evident that existing government and non-government programmes to prevent gender-based violence are ineffective in ensuring women’s security.

There are a number of reasons that women’s organisations have identified as reasons behind higher incidences of sexual violence and gender discrimination. First and foremost are the lengthy and unfriendly legal proceedings. In Bangladesh, the conviction rate in cases filed under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act is significantly low. Many also emphasised the amendment of the inheritance law in Bangladesh, as the law creates grounds for treating women as economically burdensome. An alarmingly high number of child marriages, routine incidents of dowry-related violence and significant drop-out rate among girls in secondary and higher secondary education substantiate this point. Feminist scholars also insist that the token inclusion of women in the public sphere will not ensure women’s safety and equal rights. At present, there are 50 reserved seats for women in parliament, which are allotted to the parties based on their proportional representation in parliament. Women are welcomed in the industrial sector as cheap labour with no possibility of professional growth. Therefore, without addressing the structural inequality that women face in the state and society — unequal status in inheritance law, wage inequality and inadequate political representation — it will not be possible to ensure women’s security in Bangladesh.

The government must, under the circumstances, revisit its policies to prevent gender-based violence and address legal and social loopholes that help perpetuate the insecurity of women. In so doing, it must take immediate steps to ensure that such cases are disposed of within 180 days of filing them with the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunals. The government should also consider enacting a sexual harassment prevention law, as recommended by various women’s organisations. The public at large must mobilise and raise their voice against the structure of oppression that treats women as economically burdensome and work towards establishing an equal society for women and all.