On February 1, 2022, a woman filed a rape case at Uttara West Police Station under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, alleging abuse under false promise of marriage. Although the charge sheet was submitted and charges framed in June 2023, the defense obtained a stay order from the High Court. Nearly two years later, no testimony has been heard, and lawyers say the complainant has lost hope, distressed by stigma and the hostile courtroom environment.
This is part of a wider crisis in Bangladesh’s Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunals. As of March 2025, around 200,000 cases remain pending, including more than 35,000 stuck for over five years. In 2024, of over 207,000 cases, only 56,000 were resolved. Police data shows that between 2020 and June 2025, more than 31,000 rape cases were recorded nationwide.
Courtrooms themselves remain unfit for women and children — lacking private spaces, rest areas, or basic facilities. Survivors are forced to sit in open court, often in discomfort and humiliation. Rights lawyers note that many withdraw cases or stay silent under pressure, while family courts also face severe backlogs, with more than 77,000 cases pending as of March 2025.
Human rights lawyer Elina Khan said many survivors give up because the system does not protect them: “Courts are not prepared to support women and children. In the end, many victims compromise or remain silent for fear of their future.”
Source: Desh Rupantor
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