Agenzia Fides

Dhaka (Agenzia Fides) - The police statistics and reports of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working to establish women's rights in Bangladesh, show a tendency to the increase in violence against women (VAW). According to police records, in 2004 there were 2,981 cases of dowry-related violence, while in the first nine months of 2012, the figure already increased to 4,563 women. In addition, while in 2004, there were 2,901 cases of rape, this year, until August, there are already 2,868. According to activists, the Bengali women currently suffer more mental violence than in the past, even if they cannot be quantified and many even remain untold. However, suicide in this country is the leading cause of deaths among women. Often atrocities go unreported for fear of harassment by religious leaders or politicians, and cases that are recorded, most of them end up being dismissed as false allegations. Every year about 5,000 complaints of harassment for dowry are presented in Bangladesh.
In 2010, the police received 5331, which reached 7079 in 2011.
The data of the Bangladesh National Women Lawyers' Association (BNWLA) reported that of the 420 cases of rape reported in 2011, only 286 were presented in court. To its credit, the government of Bangladesh has adopted a series of legal actions to improve the situation of women, starting from the Suppression of Violence against Women and Children Act of 2000. In 2009 the National Human Rights Act was approved followed by the Domestic Violence Act in 2010. Bangladesh is also a signatory to international conventions designed to protect women and their rights. However, so far very little has been done to provide them with a safe environment. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 29/10/2012)