In 2019, a 45-year-old man in Gazipur was gang-raped and blackmailed with video footage. He later committed suicide instead of seeking justice. This tragedy raises essential questions about the legal system’s capacity to recognize and protect male victims of sexual violence. Despite deep-rooted stigma around male victimhood, data reveals an alarming reality. A 2013 United Nations study found that approximately 4.7% of men in Bangladesh reported experiencing sexual victimization, including rape, by another man. In the past two years, 111 boys were raped. According to Ain o Salish Kendra, a national legal aid and human rights organization, only 55 cases were reported. Although recent amendments have addressed some shortcomings of the legal framework governing rape in Bangladesh, it remains largely outdated and insufficiently comprehensive.

This work was previously published in Open Global Rights on July 15, 2025.