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Nearly 300 women and girls across Bangladesh were subjected to various forms of violence in July, underscoring the persistent threat of gender-based abuse despite repeated calls for stronger legal protection and more effective enforcement, according to a report released by the Bangladesh Mahila Parishad (BMP).
The country’s leading women’s rights organisation said 299 women and girls fell victim to different forms of violence during the month. The figures were compiled by the organisation’s Central Legal Aid Sub-committee from reports published in 15 national daily newspapers and two online news portals.
Of the total victims, 138 were girls under the age of 18, while 161 were adult women, indicating that children and adolescents continue to account for a significant proportion of gender-based violence cases.
The report found that sexual violence remained one of the most alarming forms of abuse. A total of 58 rape cases were reported during July, involving 39 girls and 19 women.
Among them, 14 victims—eight girls and six women—were subjected to gang rape, highlighting the brutality of many of the attacks.
The report further revealed that six victims, including two girls and four women, were murdered after being raped. In another tragic incident, a woman reportedly died by suicide following sexual assault.
Besides the reported rape cases, the organisation documented 35 attempted rapes and 14 incidents of sexual harassment, reflecting the continuing vulnerability of women and girls in both public and private spaces.
The report also highlighted the growing prevalence of technology-facilitated abuse. Six victims, including four girls and two women, were subjected to cyber violence through online harassment, blackmail or other forms of digital abuse.
Child marriage also remained a concern. BMP recorded one completed child marriage and five attempts to marry off underage girls during the reporting period, despite Bangladesh’s legal prohibition on marriage before the age of 18 for women.
Violence linked to dowry demands continued to claim lives and inflict suffering. The organisation documented nine dowry-related incidents, in which six women were tortured and three others were killed.
The report also recorded one death from an acid attack, indicating that although acid violence has declined in recent years, such attacks have not been entirely eliminated.
Murders accounted for one of the largest categories of violence documented during the month. According to BMP, 50 women and girls were killed, including 39 women and 11 girls.
In addition, the organisation recorded 30 mysterious deaths, involving five girls and 25 women, as well as 16 suicides. While the circumstances surrounding many of these deaths remain unclear, women’s rights activists say such cases often warrant thorough investigations to determine whether violence or coercion played a role.
Other forms of violence included 14 cases of kidnapping and 17 incidents of physical assault and torture.
Bangladesh Mahila Parishad expressed concern over the continued prevalence of violence against women and girls and stressed the need for more effective implementation of existing laws, faster investigation and trial of offences, and stronger institutional support for survivors.
Women’s rights organisations have long argued that while Bangladesh has enacted several laws to combat violence against women—including legislation against domestic violence, acid attacks and child marriage—weak enforcement, lengthy judicial processes, social stigma and underreporting continue to impede justice.
The organisation urged the government, law enforcement agencies and the wider community to work together to prevent gender-based violence, ensure accountability for perpetrators and create a safer environment where women and girls can live free from fear and discrimination.