A leftist women’s rights organisation on Wednesday condemned the brutal killing of a seven-year-old girl in Dhaka’s Pallabi area, warning that repeated incidents of violence against women and children reflect a deep failure of the state and society to ensure public safety.

In a statement, leaders of the Socialist Women’s Forum expressed grief, anger and concern over the murder of second-grade student Ramisa Akter, who was allegedly killed after having her throat slit in the capital’s Mirpur-Pallabi area.

The organisation’s President Engineer Shampa Basu and General Secretary Advocate Dilruba Noori said the killing was not only a tragedy for one family but also a horrifying sign of growing insecurity for women and children across the country.

They demanded exemplary punishment for those responsible and urged authorities to conduct a swift and impartial investigation into the murder.

The leaders claimed that four girls had been raped and killed across Bangladesh within the last seven days, describing the incidents as evidence of worsening violence against women and children.

Referring to the widely discussed case of eight-year-old Asiya from Magura, who was allegedly raped and murdered last year, the organisation said nationwide protests demanding justice had yet to produce a verdict even after a year.

The statement blamed what it described as a “culture of impunity,” alongside social degradation, political protection for criminals, drug abuse, economic stress and misogynistic attitudes that treat women as objects.

The organisation warned that isolated arrests and temporary crackdowns would not solve the crisis unless the government ensured speedy justice and dismantled political and social patronage networks protecting offenders.

The Socialist Women’s Forum also called for stronger state measures to guarantee the safety of women and children, greater awareness programmes in educational institutions, and nationwide social movements promoting human dignity and gender equality.

The group further urged authorities to end judicial delays in cases involving rape, child abuse and gender-based violence, warning that continued impunity could lead to further brutal crimes.

—