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A new national survey has revealed that more than 75 percent of married women in Bangladesh face violence from their partners at least once in their lifetime, underscoring the urgent need for systemic action, officials said Monday.
The survey, conducted by Bangladesh’s Bureau of Statistics with support from the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), involved over 27,000 women nationwide. It documented instances of physical, sexual, and economic violence, as well as controlling behaviours. Younger women aged 15-19 and those living in urban slums or disaster-prone coastal areas such as Barisal and Khulna experienced even higher rates, exceeding 80 percent.
“This report must mark the beginning of transformative action to prevent violence, strengthen services, and ensure justice for survivors,” said UNFPA’s Catherine Breen Kamkong. Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, head of the Bureau of Statistics, emphasised that the findings provide “robust evidence on the prevalence, causes, and impact of violence,” crucial for shaping effective policies.
The survey, the third since 2011, indicated a slight decline in violence compared with 2015, when 83 percent of women reported abuse. Bangladesh, which has seen political unrest following the August 2024 uprising that ousted the government of Sheikh Hasina, is scheduled to hold elections in February 2026.
Local women’s rights groups have reported rising sexual assaults in recent years, linking the surge to worsening security and political instability. Fauzia Moslem, president of the Bangladesh Mohila Parishad, noted that the number of sexual assaults in the first half of 2025 nearly matched the total for the entirety of 2024, a year marked by deadly protests.
