Of them, 1118 women were the victims of physical torture while 1086 were killed.

The report also showed that a total of 549 women were raped, 327 were abducted and 324 women and children fell victim to trafficking.

The report was revealed at a BMP workshop on 'Obstacles and ways to overcome and resist repression on women' at Cirdap auditorium in the city.

Expressing concern over the increasing rate of repression on women even after extensive advocacy against it by different women's rights organisations, the speakers held the existing socio- economic condition of the country responsible for the situation.

"Existing social values create discrimination between men and women that works as a barrier to establish human rights for women," said Advocate Masuda Rehana Begum, legal aid secretary of the Central Legal Aid Sub-Committee.

While presenting a keynote paper titled 'Public awareness and active initiatives of the administration to be increased to resist repression on women', she said all sectors are dominated by males.

Criticising various provisions in existing laws, Advocate Rehana pointed out that police do not take women's repression cases seriously due to lack of separate laws for domestic violence.

She alleged that judges and lawyers also fail to perform their duties in resisting repression on women due to gender biasness.

Advocate Rehana called for changes in investigation process and training for doctors to ensure justice in women's repression cases.

She also called for establishing one-stop crisis centre in all districts to curb repression on women with the coordination of legal aid service centres.

Speaking as special guest Justice Nizamul Huq Nasim laid emphasis on the training of judges, lawyers and public prosecutors to help establish law and justice in the society.

He called for ensuring security of the witnesses and encouraging general people to play the role of eyewitness for establishing the rights of women.

Addressing as chief guest, Justice KM Sobhan urged the lawyers to conduct the cases not only as a lawyer but also as a proponent of human rights.

He asked for raising public awareness to sensitise people so that they can protest all sorts of repression on women spontaneously.

Justice Sobhan also called for formulation of a separate women's commission to preserve the rights of women.

BMP General Secretary Ayesha Khanom said although there is a development council for women to preserve the rights of women, absence of political will and commitment have halted the establishment of their rights.

Over 200 BMP panel of lawyers from 40 districts attended the workshop chaired jointly by Bela Nabi and Hasna Banu, two vice- presidents of BMP.