On 8 March, 20-year-old man from Narayanganj, Bangladesh, faced a horrific ordeal when his 40-year-old neighbor, Sayeed, allegedly lured him into his house and raped him.
Too afraid to speak up, the young man kept his silence, until he finally confided in his family. His devastated mother wasted no time and filed a police report on March 11, determined to seek justice for her son.
Police have registered the case under Section 377 of the Penal Code, which classifies the crime as sodomy rather than rape. Officer-in-Charge Tarikul Islam confirmed that efforts are ongoing to locate and arrest the suspect.
When Justice Isn’t Equal
In Bangladesh, the law still refuses to acknowledge that men can be victims of rape. Under Section 375 of the Penal Code, rape is only recognized when a man assaults a woman. Male victims, like the young man in Narayanganj, have no choice but to file cases under Section 377—an outdated law that criminalizes “unnatural offenses” rather than addressing sexual violence. This provision also fails to address sexual assaults against transgender individuals.
Supreme Court lawyer and human rights activist Jyotirmoy Barua points out that this legal loophole allows perpetrators to escape with lesser sentences. While rape convictions can lead to life imprisonment or even capital punishment, sodomy charges often result in lighter punishments. For male victims, this means their suffering is legally diminished, making it even harder for them to come forward.
Silenced and Stigmatized
The cultural stigma surrounding male rape is another major obstacle. Society still clings to the false belief that “real men” can’t be victims of sexual violence. Many survivors fear being judged or having their masculinity questioned, so they stay silent—often carrying the trauma alone for years.
A 2013 United Nations study recorded over 2,300 cases of male-on-male rape in Bangladesh, but the real numbers are likely much higher. Many victims, especially adult men, never report their cases because they believe they won’t be taken seriously.
This silence doesn’t just affect individuals—it also prevents much-needed legal reforms from taking place. While other countries like the UK, Canada, and Australia have updated their laws to recognize male rape, Bangladesh remains stuck in outdated colonial-era legal definitions.
Students Fight Back – And Face Violence
According to TBS, when the news of the Narayanganj case spread, members of the activist group Students Against Discrimination (SAD) staged a protest against what they called an attempt to “cover up” the crime. Their actions angered local BNP supporters, who allegedly attacked them in retaliation.
Rifaat Hossain Antu, a senior member of SAD, filed a police complaint on March 11, reporting the attack. Police have confirmed receiving the complaint and are investigating the incident.
2025: A Step Towards Justice
Change, however, may finally be on the horizon. At a recent press briefing, Legal Adviser Asif Nazrul announced that Bangladesh’s laws on rape are being reformed.
“Rape is being made punishable not only when committed by men but by any individual,” he stated.
He also confirmed that new legal provisions would include rape involving objects, and that trial processes would be significantly sped up.
For years, the system in Bangladesh has ignored, dismissed, or forced male rape victims to seek justice under a law that fails to recognize their pain. While these legal changes are a step in the right direction, activists say the real battle is changing societal attitudes—so that all survivors, regardless of gender, can speak up without fear.
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