Bangladesh Mahila Parishad has called for the immediate formation of a task force under the Home Minister to address escalating incidents of rape, murder, and violence against women and girls across the country. The demand was raised Monday (2 March) at a protest rally held in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka.
Speaking at the rally, Mahila Parishad President Fawzia Moslem criticized the newly elected government’s six-month action plan for failing to include concrete measures to prevent violence against women. She urged the adoption of a zero-tolerance policy and emphasized that criminal offenses such as rape cannot be settled through informal arbitration. “Morning shows the day,” she said, warning that early signs under the new administration indicate troubling continuity.
Referring to the recent rape and murder of a teenager in Narsingdi, Moslem stated that a longstanding culture of impunity is driving the country toward a dangerous trajectory. She called on the upcoming session of the 13th National Parliament, scheduled for March 12, to prioritize legislative and institutional action against gender-based violence rather than limiting proceedings to formalities.
General Secretary Maleka Banu said that repeated changes in government have not translated into justice for survivors, as no durable accountability structure has been established. Other speakers highlighted the normalization of misogyny, failures in education and social values, and the lack of broad-based public participation in protests against violence. The rally concluded with slogans demanding women’s rights, accountability, and collective resistance.
Source: Prothom Alo
Bangladesh Feminist Archives 