BM Desk:

The National Girl Child Advocacy Forum has demanded speedy legislation in light of the directives given by the High Court in 2009 to prevent sexual harassment.

A press conference titled ‘Sexual Harassment Prevention and Protection Act Needed to Stop Torture against Women and Girl Children’ was widely discussed at the National Press Club on Tuesday.

Nachima Akhter Jolly, editor of the platform, said, “The lack of proper justice plays a major role in the horrific reality of violence and sexual harassment. We also feel that the absence of specific laws for the prosecution of cases of sexual harassment is a major obstacle to justice.

In the press conference, it was said that 695 women and girls were killed in the ten months from January to October of this year, of which 502 were women and the remaining 193 were girls. And 590 women and girls committed suicide in the last 10 months; Out of which 347 are women and 243 are girls. During this period, 179 women and 20 female children were victims of domestic violence.

In the last 10 months, 32 women and 136 female children were victims of trafficking and abduction, it was said in the press conference, 1,22 people were raped during this period, including 362 women and 660 female children. Apart from this, 53 women and 136 female children were attempted to be raped during this time.

Child Rights Specialist and Activist Tony Michael Gomez moderated the press conference attended by National Girl Child Advocacy Forum Co-Editor Wahida Banu, Educo Bangladesh Director of Programs Farzana Khan, Goodneighbors Bangladesh Head of Education and Health Razia Sultana.