Bangladesh allows death penalty for rapists after nationwide protests

New ordinance signed into law by President Abdul Hamid

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Following nationwide protests after a series of sexual assaults, Bangladesh President Mohammad Abdul Hamid on Tuesday signed an ordinance approving the death penalty for rapists—replacing life imprisonment as the maximum penalty.

"The President assented the Cabinet decision and issued an ordinance on Women and Children Repression Prevention Act," a presidential palace spokesman told PTI.    

A day earlier the Cabinet had approved the same, with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina saying the death penalty would prevent the “brutality” of rapists.

"A man when he is a rapist turns into an animal. They become so brutal; that is why women suffer so much these days. Hence we amended the law,” she said at an event on Tuesday.

The law comes after nationwide outrage following a viral video showing a brutal gang rape of a 37-year-old woman in Noakhali. Eight men were arrested in relation to the incident, with the Bangladesh National Human Rights Commission finding that the woman was raped multiple times .

The incident sparked protests across the country as many called for the accused to be hanged.

Anger had already been simmering after members of the ruling party’s student wing, the Bangladesh Chhatra League, were arrested over the gang rape of a woman in the town of Sylhet in September.

According to rights group Ain O Salish Kendra or ASK, at least 889 women have been raped in Bangladesh between January and August 2020.

Rights activists believe the numbers are much higher because many of the victims do not complain to the police.

The ordinance comes days after the World Day Against the Death Penalty which was observed on October 10. Critics of the death penalty say it fails to deter crime.

With inputs from PTI

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