Cox’s Bazar correspondent: Rape incidents have increased at an alarming rate in Cox’s Bazar. In August alone, 67 women were treated in hospitals after being raped. However, a statistic from the law and order forces revealed that 26 women were raped last month. Three women were raped in two separate cottages in Cox’s Bazar last night, September 4. Two of the dancers came to Cox’s Bazar from Dhaka for an event. The other is a resident of Khurushkul in Cox’s Bazar Sadar Upazila.
Two separate cases have been filed in this incident. Two have been arrested. Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Cox’s Bazar Sadar Police Station Mohammad Rafiqul Islam confirmed the truth of the information and said, “Three women were raped at separate places in the tourist zone of Cox’s Bazar city. Two people have been arrested in two separate cases in this incident. The tourist police have been given the responsibility to investigate the two cases.
The arrested are Solaiman Shamim (23), son of Saiful Islam, a resident of Mohajer Para area of Cox’s Bazar Municipality, and Khalek of Khurushkul Mehdi Para area of Sadar Upazila. Runa Laila, senior staff nurse in charge of ‘One Stop Crisis’ (OCC) at Cox’s Bazar District Sadar Hospital, said, ’67 rape victims have come to the hospital for treatment in a month.’ According to a secret report from the district administration, 26 women were raped in August this year.
Additional Superintendent of Police (Administration) of Cox’s Bazar District Police Rafiqul Islam said, “Rape cases are being filed in cases of love affairs, temptation of marriage, or physical relations with the consent of both. These issues come up when we investigate. However, evidence of rape is found in some cases. Advocate Bappi Sharma, a lawyer at Legal Aid Cox’s Bazar, said, “The number of rapes occurring in a month is alarming. He also thinks that the trend of rape is increasing due to the distorted mentality of men, the biased investigation of complaints, and the long process of trial. He also commented that the trend of rape will decrease if the law is properly implemented and justice is ensured in a timely manner.
District Legal Aid service providers feel that, if political stability, the justice system, and public awareness are not increased, the prevalence of rape will not decrease. Besides, many of the aggrieved families do not show interest in filing a case due to a lack of security. He also said, “At the same time, due to the reluctance of the police station administration to accept the case, when a person under the protection of power is involved in rape, the effective implementation of the law is also hindered due to the influence of the investigation and judicial process by the influential person. Victims are also skeptical about getting justice. As a result, many secretly settle rape cases through socialites.
However, Advocate Nurul Islam Sayem, Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP) of Cox’s Bazar Women and Child Abuse Prevention Tribunal (1), claimed that social degradation is the main reason for the increase in rape. Women’s leader and Cox’s Bazar Municipal Councilor Shahena Akhtar Pakhi said, “If the political will and the length of the judicial system decrease, rape will also decrease. Along with that, women’s careless behavior and obscene clothes are also instruments of rape.
Senior lawyer Tapas Rakshit, Assistant PP District and Sessions Judge Court of Women’s Court, said, “One of the reasons for the increase in heinous incidents like rape is the long-drawn-out and various obstacles in the legal process. Articles 9(1) and 9(2) of the Prevention of Torture against Women and Children Act provide for life imprisonment for rape. And in the case of death, the death penalty and Section 20(3) are supposed to complete the trial within 180 days of receiving the case. But justice is far away; the investigation work is not completed at the right time. In this, the criminals are not ignoring the law, nor are they hesitating to commit crimes.
