Adviser Sharmeen S Murshid addressed a press conference at the conference room of the Press Information Department (PID) at Bangladesh Secretariat today. Photo: PID

DHAKA, Nov 24, 2025 (BSS) - Women and Children Affairs Adviser Sharmeen S Murshid has instructed the officials concerned of her ministry to send reports on violence against women and children across the country within 24 hours.

She gave the instruction while addressing a press conference at the conference room of the Press Information Department (PID) at Bangladesh Secretariat here today.

She said that within 24 hours of receiving any report on violence against women and children, officials of the government will reach out to the victim and ensure everything necessary for her medical treatment and legal support.

She further said that the 16-day campaign to prevent violence against women will begin tomorrow and end on December 10. During the period, each of the officer and employee of her ministry will be active in preventing violence against women. 

“We don’t sit with the media very frequently, but we intend to do so more regularly after today’s event.” Sharmin Murshid said, adding that although the upcoming campaign has an international origin, its significance in Bangladesh within the society and community is immense.

“We have always seen political rulers commit oppression against women to serve various political interests to grab land, they commit violence against women or children so that the family leave the area,” she said, adding, “If they want to influence elections, they impose violence on a community and put its women at risk so that the group is bound to leave. Those with malicious political motives benefit from these incidents. We must get rid of this.”

She said, “You know that I have observed elections for 25 years. I have seen the condition of women. This is why I can explain these experiences. Women face direct violence, women become victims for both reasons and no reasons. Walking on the street, they are subjected to harassment.”

The adviser also said, “In an enlightened society, there is a natural respect for women and children. When that begins to crumble, the society itself begins to deteriorate. Over the past 16 years, under an authoritarian environment, we have seen an extreme manifestation of this.”

The adviser further said, “A country should be judged by how it views, protects, and safeguards its women and children.”

Sharmin S. Murshid said, “Since we have come a long way and fought many movements, during the July mass uprising, when nearly 70 percent of the women came out onto the streets, the nation was astonished. The entire world was astonished. The courageous expression of women was inspiring. This proves that women are in no way inferior to anyone else.”