By Mizan Rahman/Dhaka


Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said that those responsible for incidents of child abuse
will not be spared and they will face exemplary punishment for their crimes.
“We’ll have to ensure exemplary punishment to show people that no one is spared if one commits crimes,” she said.
The prime minister was speaking at a function organised by women and child affairs ministry at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka marking the 85th birth anniversary of Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib, the wife of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was killed along with most of her family members, including Bangabandhu, on August 15, 1975.  
Chaired by state minister for women and child affairs Meher Afroz Chumki, the function was addressed, among others, by chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on women and child affairs ministry Rebeca Momen, MP, Bangla Academy director general Shamsuzzaman Khan, chairman of Jatiya Mahila Sangstha Momtaj Begum and Bangladesh Shishu Academy chairperson Selina Hossain.
The prime minister said she has already ordered authorities concerned to take action.
Hasina also said she had a meeting with the homm Minister, the law minister and the home secretary.
“I’ve told them to take proper steps to ensure exemplary punishment in cases of child repression,” Hasina said.
According to children rights body Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum (BSAF), there has been a spike in the number of child rape incidents in 2015; a total of 280 children have been raped around the country in the first six months alone. The tally of all rapes stands at 896.
Rights activists say that the ease with which suspected rapists get freed on bail and the fact that police fail to arrest the accused more often than not, has contributed to the climbing number of child rape cases.
The BSAF tally including stalking – prepared on the basis of news reports published in 10 national dailies – shows that 30 of the victims were aged below six, 79 were from 7-12 years, and 80 were 13-18. The age of the remaining  91 could not be known. Of these 280 victims, 61 were gang raped, 20 were killed after rape, and four committed suicide after being assaulted.