Bangladesh Protesters Demand Protections for Women Amid Rise in Violence

TaiwanPlus News

Crowds of protesters take to the streets in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, demanding the government ensure equal rights for women amid a rise in violence against them.

Transcript

00:00Holding burning torches, crowds of students march in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka, calling

00:09on the government to act against a dramatic surge in violence against women.

00:16According to the United Nations, at least half of all women in the country face physical

00:20or sexual violence from men during their lifetimes.

00:24Protesters say they had hoped a student-led nationwide revolution that ousted the South

00:28Asian country's autocratic leader Sheikh Hasina in August would have improved the situation.

00:58After Hasina fled the country, Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus was appointed

01:09to lead a temporary administration with the goal of restoring democratic institutions.

01:17But in the months since Yunus took the top job, there's been a significant rise in violence

01:21against women.

01:22The case is increasing by 25 per cent in September compared to previous months, according to

01:30women's rights organisation Bangladesh Mahalia Parishad.

01:36Protesters haven't laid out how they want the government to tackle the issue, but are

01:39demanding equal rights for men and women.

01:42Transgender women are also joining the action.

02:01Homosexuality is criminalised in Bangladesh, sidelining members of the LGBTQ plus community

02:07from education, employment and other human rights.

02:11Even right-wing political parties that have spearheaded anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ plus

02:16movements have moved to align themselves with the newly formed interim government, prompting

02:21fears of increased hate and violence towards the group.

02:50A call for concrete change, as the interim government works on restoring order in Bangladesh.

02:56The caretaker administration says that goal will take some time, but as they grapple with

03:00re-establishing the country, demonstrators here are pushing for equal rights and protections

03:05for all citizens to be a top priority.

03:09Dolphine Chen and Rosie Greninger for Taiwan Plus.

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