The Crime Desk: More than 25,000 calls are received on the 999 emergency service helpline related to child marriage. According to the data from the Law and Arbitration Center and Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, there are more girls than women who are victims of sexual violence in the country. A total of 223 girls were raped in six months this year, and 107 women were raped during the same period. Children are 106 percent more victims of rape than women. In such a situation, the International Day of the Girl Child is being celebrated today, October 11, with the theme ‘Invest in Girls’ Rights: Our Leadership, Our Well-Being’.
107 children were raped in three months, from July to September. This information was revealed in the quarterly (July–September) numerical report on child rights violations by the non-governmental organization Law and Arbitration Center (ASK). The organization prepares this report by searching various newspapers in the country, online news portals, and its own information. From July 2022 to June 2023, a total of 2 lakh 52 thousand 821 calls for assistance were received in 1098. Among them, 698 relate to child marriage. In 2022, the non-governmental organization Incidin Bangladesh, in collaboration with the Foundation for Humanity, released a survey entitled “The Situation of Violence Against Children in Bangladesh,” showing that girls are not safe anywhere—in educational institutions or their own homes. Many girls are subjected to physical, mental, and sexual abuse by their own family members day after day. According to the report, 55 percent of children are sexually abused within their own families. According to the data from the National Girl Child Advocacy Forum, a total of 329 girl children were sexually harassed and tortured in the eight months from January to August this year. According to the Girl Child Advocacy Forum, pornography has added a new dimension to sexual harassment of girls. 30 girls were victims of pornography in the first eight months of this year.
Maleka Banu, general secretary of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, said that child marriage is a very common thing in society. Girls get married at 15/16/17; no one considers it harmful. Such social factors are associated with poverty. Besides, we do not see proper performance of institutional responsibilities such as birth registration and raising awareness among Qazis. As a result, we are lagging behind in achieving our goals. Therefore, the government and civil society have to work together not only by law but also socially. To prevent sexual harassment, the manager of 1098, Chowdhury Mohaimen, said that the free use of the Internet should be prevented. Deep relationships should be maintained without creating distance with children. Kamal Uddin Ahmed, Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, emphasized family, institutional, and state responsibility to prevent child rape in the family. He said, as required by law to prevent child rape, measures should be taken along with punishment to change the mentality of those people.
