Date: April 22, 2025
Dhaka, Bangladesh
The Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM), an ECOSOC-accredited NGO and internationally recognized human rights organization, has taken a bold legal step to address the escalating crisis of sexual violence, gang rape, and abductions across Bangladesh — particularly affecting minority women, girls, and children.
Through its legal counsel, Barrister Khan & Associates, HRCBM has served a Notice Demanding Justice to key organs of the Government of Bangladesh, including:
The Ministry of Home Affairs
The Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs
The National Human Rights Commission
The Inspector General of Police (IGP)
The notice outlines serious and systemic failures in preventing, investigating, and prosecuting sexual violence crimes, with many cases involving minority victims either unresolved, prematurely closed, or mishandled — denying justice and violating constitutional and human rights protections.
Key Legal Demands and Recommendations Made by HRCBM
Amendment of the Nari o Shishu Nirjatan Daman Ain, 2000
Mandate life imprisonment or capital punishment without parole for proven rape or gang rape.
Redefine Child Marriage as Statutory Rape
Legally declare any marriage involving girls under 16 as rape, regardless of “special circumstances.”
Establish Special Protections for Minority Women and Girls
Fast-track tribunals, legal aid, retaliation protection, and survivor support services.
Enhance Judicial Oversight and Prosecution Efficiency
District-level tribunals and specially trained prosecutors for gender-based violence.
Guarantee Survivor and Family Safety
Mandatory witness and victim protection, especially for minorities facing targeted attacks.
Cooperate with Civil Society Legal Networks
Formal government cooperation with HRCBM volunteers assisting victims with case filings and legal follow-up.
Lead Public Legal Awareness Campaigns
State-supported educational drives to combat forced marriage, statutory rape, and GBV in vulnerable communities.
A Call to Restore Justice and Dignity
The legal notice, submitted on behalf of Advocate Lucky Bachhar, HRCBM’s Bangladesh Convenor, urges the government to act within seven days, failing which HRCBM will initiate writ proceedings in the Supreme Court of Bangladesh.
“We are in the midst of a national crisis,” the notice states. “Strengthening the legal framework, ensuring due process, and restoring faith in the justice system are essential steps toward rebuilding the social contract between the state and its citizens.”
