Bangladesh: Govt. approves death penalty for rape

Dhaka, Bangladesh: After days of protests sparked by a string of sexual assaults, the Bangladesh Government on Monday introduced the death penalty for rape.

After a tormenting footage of a group of men stripping and attacking a woman went viral on social media, demonstrations broke out across the country.

The clip sparked outrage in the South Asian country, where activists say only a tiny percentage of sexual assault victims see justice.

Before the government approved the capital punishment proposal at a meeting in the national capital of Bangladesh, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina faced an internal outcry within the ruling party's ranks over her perceived inaction in the matter.

Anisul Huq, Justice Minister, told that the law would be put into effect by the president on Tuesday. Earlier, the maximum punishment for rape was life imprisonment.

Since last month, national outrage over the issue has been intensifying when members of the ruling party's student wing were arrested and charged in a separate gang rape case.

Protesters in Dhaka and the rest of the country demanded the strictest punishments for rape, faster trials for rapists.

Meanwhile, a large section of people also called for Prime Minister Hasina's resignation.

Despite heavy monsoon rains, the Central Dhaka witnessed a huge rally with hundreds of people slamming the recent arrest of student leaders by authorities attempting to suppress the protests.

Since 2013, Bangladesh has hanged 23 people, while at least another 1,718 are on death row, according to a local rights group.

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