279 children raped in 4 months: BSAF
Two hundred and seventy nine children were raped in the four months of this year, Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum (BSAF) said in a statement yesterday.
With the latest figure, rape of children rose by 20 percent in the country compared to that of the same period previous year; 234 children were raped in the first four months of 2018, BSAF Director Abdus Shahid Mahmood told The Daily Star.
On an average, some 70 children were raped each month in Bangladesh, which is higher than ever. Also, a staggering number of 115 children were raped in April alone, he said.
The report was based on information as per the child rights watchdog’s study of news reports on child rape, published in 15 leading dailies.
The number could be much higher, as many such incidents remain unreported, Mahmood said. Impunity, weak charge sheets, delay in the trial proceedings, lack of witnesses and pressure from powerful people are responsible for the rise of such crimes, he added.
“It is important that such offences become non-bailable,” Mahmood said.
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