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He told bdnews24.com on Thursday that the proposal was being made “on the instructions of the Prime Minister.” The proposal will be addressed at the cabinet meeting on October 12.
News of the government’s move came amid nationwide protests against recent sexual harassment in various parts of the country, including the nude torture in Noakhali and the rape at MC College in Sylhet.
The minister said: “Amendments will be made to the existing law modifying the law to establish the death penalty for rapists.”
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According to the Bangladesh Women and Children Abuse Prevention Act, the maximum penalty for rape is life imprisonment. And in the event of the death of the raped woman or child, the maximum punishment for the culprit will be death. In addition to this, there is a fine provision in both cases.
In the case of this law, the term for the investigation report in the Court for the Repression of Abuse of Women and Children is seven days to one month and one hundred and eighty days (six months) for the resolution of the case, but it is not possible render a verdict within that time.
Furthermore, an incident of rape and abuse of women and children has rocked the country in a few days, but there are few examples of exemplary justice and punishment for these incidents.
Most of the rape cases were overshadowed by the length of the trial. In addition, it is difficult to obtain justice due to various reasons, including the lack of a proper medical examination, social inertia and the intervention of influential people.
According to the Center for Law and Arbitration, 69 women were raped in the country from January to August. 41 of them died after being raped.
In these eight months, 192 women have been raped and sexually harassed and 9 women have committed suicide.
However, rights activists say the actual number is much higher as many complaints have not reached the police station.
According to government data, there have been 4,541 rape cases since the One-Stop Crisis Center in the last 18 years. Of these, the accused has been sanctioned only in 60 cases.
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For these reasons, various organizations have demanded that the law be amended to increase the level of punishment for rape and to establish the death penalty as soon as possible.
In January this year, a Superior Court court had issued a rule in a writ petition alleging child rape.
The rule sought to explain why the inability of the defendants to legislate would not be declared illegal, with the death penalty being the highest punishment for rapists 16 years of age or younger. The matter is still pending resolution.
Mohammad Fouad Hossain, Legal Secretary of the BCL Central Committee, has sent notices to various government departments about recent incidents of rape and sexual harassment. He demanded the formation of a special court for a speedy trial for rape and the maximum death penalty for rape.
The Secretary General of the Awami League and the Minister of Road Transport, Obaidul Quader, have also voiced their support for the death penalty for rape.
He said in a program on October 8, “They do not benefit from small penalties. The claim of the Supreme Court that has arisen, I think it is not far-fetched. All political and social organizations must present themselves with an uncompromising attitude against these criminals ”.
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