Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, a leading women’s rights organisation, reported a staggering 231 incidents of torture against women and girls in October 2025 alone, including rape, gang-rape, murder, and other forms of gender-based violence.
This monthly tally underscores a broader annual crisis, with violence against women (VAW) escalating dramatically since the Jamaat-Hefazat-influenced interim government assumed power on August 8, 2024, following the ouster of the Awami League government.
Rights groups warn of a deepening culture of impunity that shields perpetrators, while the resurgence of anti-women Islamist extremistsโemboldened by the regime’s reversal of Jamaat’s terror designationโhas fueled moral policing, harassment, and targeted attacks on women’s freedoms.
In a statement released Sunday, BMP General Secretary Maleka Banu highlighted the pervasive threat, noting that these figures reflect not isolated acts but a systemic failure to protect women amid political instability. “The unchecked rise in atrocities demands immediate accountability,” Banu said, calling for swift prosecutions and reforms to dismantle the veil of impunity.
In October, 57 women and girls were subjected to rape and gang-rape. Of them, 34 children were raped and 10 were gang raped.
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On the other hand, five, including two girls, were killed after being rape. In addition, 13 more women and girls were subjected to attempted rape.
Of the 53 women and girls who were murdered during the same period, 46 were women and seven were girls. Three more were victims of attempted murder. There were 26 mysterious deaths. Of these, 17 were women and nine were girls.
The report also states that seven women and girls committed suicide, one of whom was a victim of incitement to commit suicide. Twelve (six girls and six women) were victims of sexual violence; 11 of them were victims of sexual assault, and one of harassment.
During this period, one of the four women who were injured in the fire died. One female domestic worker was tortured and killed. In addition, seven girls were abducted, and 10 (including six girls) were victims of human trafficking.
The report also states that a total of 19 women, including five girls, were victims of physical violence. Child marriage was attempted in the case of two girls. The number of dowry-related incidents was 7. Of these, five women were killed and two were tortured due to dowry.
Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), another watchdog, documented over 1,200 VAW cases from January to September 2025 alone, including 450 domestic violence incidents, 300 rapes, and 150 sexual harassmentsโ a 27% year-on-year spike.
390 girls raped in first eight months this year
Cumulatively, from August 2024 to October 2025, BMP estimates exceed 3,500 reported cases nationwide, with unreported incidents likely doubling that figure due to stigma and fear.
This surge aligns with UN Women’s July-December 2024 Gender Analysis, which linked post-revolution unrest to heightened gendered violence, affecting millions and eroding hard-won gains in education and workforce participation. Over 50% of women remain unaware of reporting mechanisms, per a Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics survey, trapping victims in cycles of abuse.
Culture of Impunity: Perpetrators Shielded, Justice Denied
A toxic culture of impunity has taken root under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, where arrests are rare and convictions rarer still. Human Rights Watch (HRW) reports that since Hasina’s fall, authorities have failed to investigate over 70% of VAW complaints, fostering “lawlessness” that emboldens criminals.
The Awami League, in a July 2025 dossier, accused the regime of enabling “brutality” through selective prosecutionsโtargeting Hasina-era officials while ignoring mob violence and Islamist assaultsโresulting in zero convictions for rape-murders in 2025 so far.
In one viral October 2024 incident, a woman in Dhaka was mobbed and molested for “immodest” attire, with bystanders and even army personnel failing to intervene.
Le Monde reported in August 2025 that Islamists, waving ISIS flags and demanding caliphates, have normalised vigilantism, with over 100 incidents of women-targeted “extremist actions” by mid-2025.
In Dhaka and Chittagong, videos show mobs parading and beating women, often with military inaction, as in a January 2025 kidnapping case involving disputed lands.
The Diplomat noted in February 2025 a “stepping up” of such actions, mirroring Taliban-style norms, while RSIS highlighted the “normalisation of extremist narratives” amid bail releases of terror suspects. Women’s football and public spaces, once symbols of progress, now face radical backlash, with BMP protesting the regime’s “denial” of this Islamist-fueled wave.
As Bangladesh hurtles toward elections, activists urge international pressure on Yunus to enforce the Paris Principles for human rights and curb Jamaat’s grip. Without action, warn HRW and UN Women, the “new Bangladesh” risks becoming a haven for gender apartheid. Mahila Parishad vows continued advocacy: “Women’s safety is non-negotiableโimpunity ends now.”
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