Rape case numbers rise as victims face no barrier: Home minister

Bangla Press Desk:   Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has claimed that overall crimes, including murder and robbery, have decreased in the country compared to the last 10 to 15 years. 

However, the number of rape cases appears higher now because victims no longer face social or political barriers to filing cases with police stations, he said. 

The minister made the remarks in parliament on Tuesday during the discussion on the budget allocation for his ministry and the subsequent cut motions. 

A demand for a grant of Tk31,098 crore, 88 lakh and 15 thousand was placed for the home ministry. Following this, opposition MPs criticised the country’s law and order situation. 

Participating in the cut motion discussion, Brahmanbaria-2 MP Rumeen Farhana cited media statistics to highlight the grim security situation. 

“In March and April alone, the country witnessed 605 murders, 294 muggings, 90 robberies, 196 abductions, and 3,496 cases of violence against women and children. On average, more than 10 murders are occurring daily,” she said. Meanwhile, Satkhira-2 MP Mohammad Abdul Khaleq drew attention to the drug menace in the country. He called upon the government to take effective steps to curb drugs and corruption by “Village Police” and called for an increased budget in this sector.

Responding to the opposition’s criticism, Salahuddin Ahmed maintained that the country is in a historically better position regarding crime rates compared to the past decade.

Regarding the rise in rape cases, he said, “Previously, victims could not go to police stations because of social or political interference. Now, they can file a complaint immediately at a police station or online. Because there is no interference now, the number of cases has increased slightly. But the comforting news is that wherever an incident occurs, police take immediate action.”

The minister, however, welcomed the proposal to control drugs through the Village Police, noting that the law and order situation cannot improve without direct public cooperation and social motivation.

Regarding the ministry's budget, he said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman himself inquired about the increase in the allocation.