We must end the culture of impunity surrounding rape

We are outraged by a shocking incident of gang rape that took place in Mohammadpur, Dhaka. According to media reports, a young woman was held captive and raped by three men over 25 days, allegedly assisted by her roommate. She was rescued by police after locals heard her screaming for help through her window and called 999 on March 30 evening. The victim, who is undergoing treatment, filed a case against all four, who have been arrested and placed on remand.

According to the case details, the 23-year-old woman was introduced to one of the accused, Saan, by her roommate Salma alias Jhumur. They got involved in a relationship, and on February 3, Saan forced himself on her with the promise of marriage; he then did the same on several other occasions, and subsequently severed connections with her. But then, on March 5, Saan, along with his two friends Rocky and Himel, went to the victim's residence and tied her up with shackles, blindfolded her, and taped her mouth. Over the next 25 days, the trio took turns to rape her and record her during forced sexual acts with the help of Jhumur, the victim told police.

It is quite distressing to think of the physical and mental trauma that she has endured. Police say they have seized various video clips from the flat and are working to see if any of them has been posted online. We appreciate the police for their prompt intervention. But what happens next? Will justice be delivered? Can we hope to see the accused being put on trial, and not the victim herself, as we have seen happen many times before? The shamefully low conviction rate in rape and sexual violence cases in Bangladesh does not evoke much confidence that the victim will get the justice she deserves.

And this is why rapists and sexual predators feel emboldened to commit such heinous crimes, with the Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) reporting 114 rape incidents in the first three months of 2024. If we want to get rid of this menace, strict enforcement of law and swift and proper delivery of justice must be ensured, without any exception. We demand that the victim of Mohammadpur gang rape is provided with all necessary medical, psychological and legal support by the state, and the accused are meted with appropriate punishment.