Fury Erupts in Bangladesh as Eight-Year-Old Rape Victim Succumbs to Injuries

Outrage and grief swept across Bangladesh as an eight-year-old girl, who had been brutally raped, passed away from her injuries, sparking fierce protests calling for swift justice and reform in the nation's laws concerning women's and children's safety.

The tragic case of an eight-year-old girl, who was raped in Bangladesh, has taken a devastating turn as she succumbed to her injuries on Thursday, igniting a wave of protests throughout the country. The girl was reportedly attacked while visiting her sister in Magura, between the night of 5 March and the next morning, leading to the arrest of her 18-year-old brother-in-law along with his family members.

As news of her death spread on Thursday evening, an enraged crowd gathered, setting fire to the home where the assault allegedly occurred. The girl passed away around 1 p.m. local time after suffering three cardiac arrests, as outlined by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) department. Despite doctors’ efforts to stabilize her condition, her heart failed to restart following the third episode.

Her mother expressed her despair, saying, "I thought my daughter would survive... If she had made it through, I would never have let her go anywhere alone again." The girl’s body was returned to Magura by army helicopter, prompting protests at the local stadium where thousands gathered for her namaz-e-janaza, the Islamic funeral prayer, prior to her burial.

In solidarity, students at Dhaka University held an absentee funeral for the girl, marching in protest while carrying a mock coffin, demanding that the government take urgent steps to expedite justice for victims of rape and to reform laws regarding women's and children's safety. Among the calls was a demand for clearer definitions of what constitutes rape, a concern many have expressed regarding the current legal framework in Bangladesh.

Legal advisor Asif Nazrul announced that the rape and murder trial is projected to begin within a week, with DNA sample collection already completed and expressions gathered from over a dozen witnesses. “If we can start the trial within seven days, our judges will be able to ensure justice with the utmost speed,” he affirmed.

The law in Bangladesh prescribes the death penalty for the rape of minors, a measure enacted in 2020 following a series of shocking sexual assault cases. The country has seen an increase in sexual violence against children, with reports of multiple similar cases arising shortly after the girl's assault. Statistics reveal that over the past eight years, 3,438 cases of child rape have been documented in Bangladesh, with many victims being young girls who are assaulted by individuals they are acquainted with or related to.