Human civilization is advancing every day. The world is moving forward, and social structures are changing. Along with this, people’s lifestyles are evolving. In this continuous progress of civilization, men have played a vital role — but so have women. It is through women that every child first sees the light of this world. Yet, women remain unsafe. Across the globe, women face violence every day.

One out of every three women worldwide experiences physical or sexual violence at some point in her life. Two out of three suffer domestic abuse from their husbands, partners, or family members — showing that even family can sometimes be dangerous for women. Even more alarming is that 90% of women, despite knowing about such abuse against themselves or others, choose to remain silent out of fear of social shame. As a result, these incidents often remain buried and unreported.

In Bangladesh, the brutality of violence against women has become even more horrific. Such violence is no longer confined within households; it often ends in the brutal killing of victims. Every day, hundreds of women face physical and mental torture, sexual harassment, and abuse — at home, on the streets, at workplaces, on buses, and in trains.

According to a joint report by BBC and UNFPA, about 87% of married women in Bangladesh experience domestic violence. Among them, 77% are regularly beaten, and 55% require medical treatment due to their injuries. One-third of married women are raped by their husbands, and 50% of victims experience sexual abuse before the age of 14.

As per Bangladesh’s Violence Against Women Survey 2024, 70% of women have faced some form of violence in their lifetime. Among them, 54% have been physically abused by their husbands. Acid attacks, arson, social exclusion, sexual harassment, and cyberbullying continue to occur regularly.

Human rights organization Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) reports that in the past five years, 3,587 women were raped in Bangladesh. Many others were tortured or killed due to dowry-related violence. Court records in Dhaka show that, on average, 22 women are murdered every year over dowry disputes. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, violence against women persisted, often with shocking brutality.

Despite women’s immense contribution to every sector of the country, they still live in fear and insecurity. This constant threat affects not only individuals but also the state, society, and all spheres of life.

A large portion of Bangladesh’s population is women. Because of widespread violence, women are falling behind in education, employment, and all areas of development. Consequently, the nation’s overall socio-economic progress is being hindered.

We must stand united against this cruelty. Laws protecting women must be enforced more strictly. A nation cannot move forward by keeping half of its population oppressed and unsafe.