DNA profiling of 41,555 women and children victims of torture completed

Women and Children Affairs Minister Abu Zafar Md. Zahid Hossain said that to ensure speedy and fair justice for women and children victims of torture, DNA profiling of a total of 41,555 samples has been completed so far from the National Forensic DNA Profiling Laboratory on the Dhaka Medical College campus and seven departmental DNA screening laboratories. He gave this information in response to a question in the Jatiya Sangsad on Monday (June 15) under the chairmanship of Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed.

The minister told the parliament that the current government has taken various strong steps to prevent child rape and torture and is implementing them at the field level. Earlier, ruling party MP Selima Rahman raised a question asking whether the government would take any tough steps to prevent child rape and torture, which has been going on in the country for a long time.

He further said that the Prevention of Violence against Women and Children Act 2026 has been passed in the 1st session of Parliament and from now on, the trial of crimes of child rape and torture will be conducted according to this new law. Whether the accused and the victim of the crime have consented or not, DNA testing is mandatory as per the provisions of the Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) Act 2014. In addition, the investigation and trial process of rape cases has been made more dynamic and faster through the special amendment of 2025, where strict provisions have been added to complete the trial within a specific and stipulated time after the filing of the complaint.

Highlighting the government's formulation of various laws, rules, policies and action plans for the overall protection of women and children, the minister said that the National Women's Policy 2011, the Prevention of Violence against Women and Children Act 2026, the Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) Act 2014 and Rules 2017, the Prevention of Child Marriage Rules 2018 and the National Action Plan (2018-2030) for the Prevention of Child Marriage have been formulated.

He further said that 37 One-Stop Crisis Centers (OCCs) will be set up in government medical college hospitals in phases to increase the scope of providing immediate services to women and children who are victims of violence. The 14 One-Stop Crisis Centers currently operating are providing treatment, legal assistance, police and psychosocial counseling, rehabilitation, social reintegration and income-generating training to women and children, under which 82,678 people have already received services.

In addition, 95 one-stop crisis centers established in the district headquarters hospitals and upazila health complexes have provided necessary services to 170,523 women and children who have been victims of violence. In addition, a record number of 88,46,940 women and children have been provided various types of emergency services through the National Helpline Center-109 (toll-free), which provides immediate 24-hour service.

The minister said that services are being expanded through the National Trauma Counseling Center and 37 Regional Trauma Counseling Centers in Dhaka. Currently, a total of 38,061 women and children have been provided psychosocial counseling services from the National and 8 Regional Centers, where information, legal advice, rescue and other necessary assistance including stopping child marriage are provided to the families of survivors and all concerned.