Nationwide campaign to combat violence against women and children to launch soon

The government is set to launch a nationwide awareness campaign against violence targeting women and children, stressing that social resistance, alongside strict enforcement of the law, is essential to tackling the problem.

“Raising awareness is a continuous process, but there are times when these efforts need to be intensified. We have a responsibility to educate people,” Women and Children Affairs Adviser Prof Dr AZM Zahid Hossain told BSS in an interview.

He said the government has adopted a zero-tolerance stance against violence against women and children, as well as drug abuse, extortion, terrorism and land grabbing.

Referring to several recent incidents of violence against women and children that have triggered public concern, Zahid said the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs would soon roll out awareness programmes from the national level down to the grassroots.

The initiative will bring together public representatives, teachers, religious leaders, social organisations, professionals from various sectors and media personnel to ensure broad public participation, he said.

Zahid, who also serves as social welfare adviser, emphasized that law enforcement alone cannot eliminate such crimes, highlighting the need to strengthen public awareness and moral values.

“People must be made aware of the law and educated about their rights, responsibilities and the distinction between right and wrong,” he said.

The adviser urged the media to play a more active role in shaping public opinion against violence against women, child abuse, rape and drug-related crimes.

“In addition to mainstream media, awareness campaigns should be expanded across social media platforms,” he said, calling on journalists and digital content creators to support the effort.

Responding to a question on the effectiveness of existing laws, Zahid said Bangladesh's legal framework is largely sufficient, but challenges remain in enforcement and changing social attitudes.

“There are no major shortcomings in the laws themselves. The key issues are implementation, public mindset and moral decline in society,” he said.

He also stressed the importance of promoting moral and religious education to reinforce values such as humanity, justice and social responsibility.

According to Zahid, preventing violence against women and children requires collective action involving the government, political parties, social organisations and citizens.

“A safer society for women and children can only be achieved through united efforts,” he added.

Meanwhile, following the brutal killing of child Ramisa, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman announced that the perpetrator would face the maximum punishment within the next month.

He said the government would not tolerate any form of child abuse or violence against women and stressed the need to revive the country's longstanding religious, social and cultural values in national life.