Rape is rape: Why the DMP commissioner's remarks are part of the problem

On 15 March, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali came under fire for urging journalists and media to avoid using the word 'rape' because it is 'unpleasant' to him and causes panic. 

His statement comes at a time when the country is witnessing an alarming rise in sexual violence in general, and rape in particular, against women and children. Instead of addressing the root causes of rape, the commissioner seems more concerned about the optics of crime reporting.

What made his remarks even more tone-deaf was the context in which they were made — during the launch of HELP, an app designed to help women report sexual harassment, assault and rape on public transport. This event should have been a platform to empower survivors and encourage reporting, but the commissioner's remarks sent the opposite message: That the discomfort caused by bringing rape into the spotlight is a more pressing issue than the act itself.

This attitude reflects the insidious trend of shifting focus away from the severity of rape as a crime and minimising public discourse on it. The commissioner's suggestion to use a vague term like "violence against women" instead of the word "rape" risks diluting the gravity of the crime. 

While the strong statement by the interim government is commendable and a step in the right direction, the response should not be limited to social media condemnation. The interim government holds direct oversight over the commissioner, and as such, should take formal disciplinary measures.

Rape is not just another form of violence against women — it is a distinct, legally defined crime with devastating physical, psychological and social consequences for survivors. To avoid naming it outright is to deny its existence and undermine efforts to combat it. 

What is even more baffling though is the blatant contradiction in his own words. After urging journalists not to report on rape so frequently, he went on to acknowledge that most rapes never even make it to the media due to social and family pressures that prevent survivors from coming forward. This contradiction reveals a startling level of self-unawareness. 

Remarks like his, which frame rape as something to hide, are part of that very social pressure he is speaking out against. When a figure of authority explicitly states that reporting rape causes panic, it reinforces the stigma and silence survivors already face, which is a hallmark of rape culture.

If the commissioner truly recognises that most rapes go unreported, his focus should be on dismantling the societal and institutional barriers that create this silence, not contributing to them by discouraging the media from shedding light on the issue. The media doesn't create panic; the horrific reality of sexual violence does. And the public's outrage is not the problem — rape is.

The commissioner may find the word "rape" unpleasant, but his discomfort is irrelevant. What is truly unpleasant and unacceptable is that rape remains a pervasive, underreported crisis in Bangladesh. His energy would be better spent on eradicating the crime, not silencing those who speak about it.

The DMP commissioner's remarks have been followed by widespread criticisms from various NGOs and civil society members. 

The interim government's office has also released a statement condemning Sajjat's comments. In a statement on 16 March, Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said, "Rape is rape, whether committed against an eight-year-old or an 80-year-old. Such a heinous crime must be called by its rightful name."

While the strong statement by the interim government is commendable and a step in the right direction, the response should not be limited to social media condemnation. The interim government holds direct oversight over the commissioner, and as such, should take formal disciplinary measures. 

This is not the first time a comment by a public official has deprioritised violence against women. Recently, public outcry erupted in the country after the home affairs advisor failed to condemn an assault of two women, choosing, rather, to condemn their act of smoking outdoors, which led to their attack.

For reforms to be effective, they must be accompanied by decisive actions that reinforce a culture of accountability. By merely issuing public condemnations without tangible repercussions, the interim government will undermine its commitment to reforms while emboldening the culture of silence and impunity that allows rape and rapists to thrive.

The public backlash has forced commissioner Sajjat to issue an apology on 17 March, stating, "While discussing violence against women and children, I referred to rape as part of a broader spectrum of abuse. If my statement has hurt anyone, I sincerely regret it."

The commissioner's explanation that he was referring to rape as part of a "broader spectrum of abuse" feels like an attempt to rationalise the original comment rather than genuinely acknowledge its impact. 

The problem was not that he categorised rape within a spectrum of violence — it is that he specifically advised the media to avoid using the word because it is "unpleasant" and causes "panic". This was not a matter of phrasing or semantics; it was a clear attempt to tone down reporting on a serious, distinct crime.

The DMP commissioner's remarks and subsequent apology serve as another stark reminder, in an endless list of reminders, of the systemic challenges in addressing sexual violence and rape in Bangladesh. Rather than focusing on controlling the narrative, authorities must prioritise the safety and dignity of survivors, strengthen law enforcement responses, and ensure that perpetrators are held accountable.