As reports of violence against women and children continue to mount in Bangladesh, the Dhaka-based human rights organisation Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) has strongly condemned the escalating pattern of rape, abuse, and killings targeting vulnerable groups across the country, according to local media reports.

The Jamalpur Case That Sparked Outrage

The immediate trigger for MJF's condemnation was the rape and killing of a seven-year-old girl in Madarganj upazila of Jamalpur district. According to police, the child was sexually assaulted before being killed, and her body was found buried beneath the floor of a house, as reported by The Dhaka Tribune.

MJF was emphatic that the Jamalpur case must not be treated as an isolated incident. The organisation said the brutal killing was symptomatic of a far wider and deeply troubling pattern of gender-based violence spreading across Bangladesh's homes, schools, and communities.

What MJF Said

Shaheen Anam, Executive Director of Manusher Jonno Foundation, described the continued incidents of rape, abuse, and killing of women and children across the country as "deeply alarming and unacceptable."

She stressed that children deserve safety at home, on the way to school, in educational institutions, and throughout communities. Anam called for systemic accountability rather than episodic media attention.

'We cannot allow these incidents to become headlines for a few days and then disappear from public attention. Every case must be investigated promptly, those responsible must be held accountable, and stronger protection and prevention systems must be put in place. Parents and guardians must also remain attentive to children's safety, listen to them carefully, and respond quickly to signs of fear, distress or risk. Protecting children requires shared responsibility from families, institutions, communities and the State,' Anam said.

Scale of the Crisis: August Data

The scale of the problem is underscored by a report from another Dhaka-based rights body, the Human Rights Support Society (HRSS). According to its latest findings, at least 249 women and children were subjected to violence across Bangladesh in August 2025 alone, including 79 rape cases.

The HRSS report further documented that 46 children were among the rape victims, while 18 women and girls were subjected to gang rape. Additionally, 93 women and girls — including 38 children — faced sexual harassment during the same period.

Demands for Systemic Reform

MJF has made clear that a reactive, post-crime approach is insufficient. The organisation has called for an emergency-level response to violence against women and children, including the establishment and activation of functioning Sexual Harassment Committees in madrasas and other educational institutions across Bangladesh.

The central questions raised by rights groups remain whether women and children are genuinely safe in their most immediate environments — and whether the justice system is responding with the speed and severity these crimes demand. The answers, according to MJF, are urgently needed.