Keya’s family claims that her husband, Sifat Ali, murdered her and initially tried to portray her death as a suicide. Her parents told reporters that she had been preparing dinner that evening. “Half the meat was already cooking on the stove, and the rest was ready to be added. How could she suddenly decide to end her life?” they questioned.

According to family sources, Keya’s older daughter recounted that after returning home that night, Sifat allegedly assaulted Keya during an argument, locked her in a room, and later called her family claiming she was seriously ill. When her parents arrived at the hospital, she had already passed away. Sifat reportedly abandoned her body and fled, leaving their four children in the care of his sister.

Just a week earlier, another young mother was killed. In Gazipur’s Kashimpur, 19-year-old Jamey, mother of two, was allegedly suffocated with a pillow by her husband, Rakib Hasan.

These incidents have sparked outrage on social media, yet rights groups emphasize that murders committed by husbands remain a grim and frequent reality in Bangladesh.

According to Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), between January and July this year, 363 cases of domestic violence were reported, resulting in 322 deaths, including 114 suicides. Of these, 133 women were killed by their husbands, 42 by in-laws, and 33 by other family members. This equates to roughly 19 women killed by their husbands each month.

Less than half of these cases result in formal legal action. Data from the national emergency helpline 999 highlights the scale of the problem: between January and August 15, it received 17,341 calls about violence against women, including 9,394 concerning abuse by husbands.

The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs’ 24/7 National Helpline (109) does not categorize domestic violence separately but recorded 29,161 calls about physical assault and 19,584 calls about mental abuse between January and July.

The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) Violence Against Women Survey 2024, which interviewed 27,476 women, also paints a stark picture. Women are three times more likely to experience physical abuse and 14 times more likely to suffer sexual violence from their husbands than from others.

Seventy percent of respondents reported at least one form of abuse—physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or controlling behavior—with 54 percent experiencing physical or sexual violence from their husbands.

Despite this, most victims remain silent: 64 percent never report the abuse, and only 7.4 percent seek legal action. Experts cite fear of social stigma, concern for children, and normalized societal acceptance of abuse as reasons for this silence. Limited access to shelters, counseling, medical care, and livelihood options further traps women in abusive situations.

Shaheen Anam, executive director of Manusher Jonno Foundation, said, “Women’s contributions are still undervalued in households, and violence has become normalized. Minor assaults often go unreported, as families regard the husband as the head of the household and provider. Poorer women are especially vulnerable, with parents often unable to intervene due to social and financial pressures.”

Bangladesh has ratified international conventions, including the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW, 1979) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989). In line with these commitments, the government enacted the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act 2010, offering protection orders, residence orders, compensation, and temporary custody of children.

Yet, enforcement has been weak. Supreme Court lawyer Ayesha Akhter, legal specialist at Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), said, “Public awareness is low, information dissemination is limited, and implementation is inconsistent, especially in marginalized areas.”

A 2020 ActionAid Bangladesh study found that most survivors and local authorities were unaware of the law. Out of 90 cases analyzed, 19 out of 20 women had never heard of the Act, and victims were often redirected to informal mediation or other laws rather than the Domestic Violence Act. Overburdened officers, lack of training, and poor coordination further hinder enforcement.

Shelters and financial support remain scarce. Bangladesh has just 13 long-term government shelters, including seven Safe Custody Homes and six run by the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, along with eight short-term Victim Support Centres. NGO-run shelters bring the total to roughly 36—far below what is needed for a country with over 80 million women and 64 million children.

Fauzia Moslem, president of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, stressed the importance of empowering women to make decisions about their lives and actively participate in society. “The women’s movement must be strengthened, and the justice system reformed so women can access genuine justice. Society must be restructured to leave no room for violence against women,” she said.