By: PramodKumar
VIOLENCE against women and children is on the rise in Bangladesh amid the COVID-19 lockdown, reports said. Lack of social activities and financial pressures are increasing rifts within families.
According to a recent survey by Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF), a local human rights organization, at least 4,249 women and 456 children were subjected to domestic violence in 27 out of 64 districts of Bangladesh in April, with 1,672 women and 424 children facing violence for the first time in their lives.
“The women, who faced domestic violence for the first time, blame the lockdown for their situation. They say that their husbands are becoming increasingly frustrated at home due to a lack of social interaction,” Arpita Das, a coordinator at the MJF, said.
“Men are angry about losing their jobs due to the COVID-19 lockdown. Some are venting their frustration by torturing their wives.”
The MJF interviewed some 17,000 women and children for the survey, which revealed that 848 women were tortured physically, 2,008 mentally, 85 sexually, and some 1,308 faced financial restrictions from their husbands. The survey also said that four women were raped, one killed, and 20 women were sexually assaulted by people not related to them in April.
In a shocking incident, Obaidul Haque Tutul, a Bangladeshi man, livestreamed the murder of his wife on Facebook. He killed his wife Tahmina Akhter with a machete in his home, reportedly over a financial dispute.
Around 92 per cent of the children interviewed by the MJF have been abused by their parents or other family members, 14 were raped, 16 faced attempted rape, two were kidnapped, and 10 were sexually abused.
There are also reports that due to financial pressure parents decided to marry off their underage daughters to reduce the burden.
