The Advisory Council has recently approved a draft of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, which introduces a maximum seven-year sentence for rape committed under the pretext of marriage.
In a press briefing, Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam explained that while this offense will be addressed under the same law, it will be considered in a separate section.
He clarified, “This will still be part of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, but it will be judged in a separate section. It is not a separate crime, but a distinct part of the same law.”
This new provision means that cases involving rape under the promise of marriage will be treated separately, with a maximum punishment of seven years for offenders.
Legal experts have pointed out that many rape cases are dismissed due to issues with the way they are defined. Often, police investigators include the promise of marriage as part of the charge, which weakens the case in court.
Supreme Court lawyer Syeda Nasreen noted,
“The definition of rape in our country’s law is flawed. The temptation of love or marriage has been included in the definition of rape. So, when an FIR mentions fraud or physical relations under the guise of marriage or love, it diminishes the seriousness of the harm done, thus undermining what would otherwise be considered a grave crime like rape.”
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