Domestic Violence Law Bangladesh: Rights, Remedies and Protection

The Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act 2010 defines domestic violence broadly to include any physical, psychological, sexual, or economic abuse committed by a family member against another family member in a shared domestic space. This law was a landmark step in Bangladesh's legal framework for protecting women and children.

Importantly, the Act does not require the parties to be married — it covers all persons in a domestic relationship within a shared household, including in-laws, parents, siblings, and unmarried partners in some contexts. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, a family lawyer in Dhaka can advise on the fastest route to protection.

The Act explicitly covers four categories of violence:

• Physical abuse: Hitting, slapping, kicking, restraining, burning, or any other act causing physical injury or endangering health.
• Psychological abuse: Verbal abuse, threats, intimidation, humiliation, stalking, isolation from family and friends, or controlling behaviour designed to cause emotional harm.
• Sexual abuse: Forced sexual acts, marital rape (to the extent recognised under domestic violence law), and any sexually coercive behaviour within the household.
• Economic abuse: Withholding financial support, destroying property, preventing access to employment or bank accounts, or forcing the victim to sign documents under pressure.

The following persons can seek protection under the Domestic Violence Act 2010:

• Wives and female partners
• Children (including adult children who reside in the household)
• Any female person living in a shared domestic space
• In some provisions, male family members who are victims of domestic violence

The Act primarily focuses on protecting women and children, but the underlying principles extend broader protection. Victims need not wait until violence escalates to a serious level before seeking legal intervention — early action is encouraged.

A protection order from the court directs the abuser to stop the specified abusive conduct. The court can order the abuser to:

• Stop all forms of abuse immediately
• Stay away from the victim's home, workplace, or other specified locations
• Not make any contact with the victim (by any means)
• Not enter specified areas (neighbourhood, school, workplace) where the victim is present

Violation of a protection order is a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment. Courts can issue emergency temporary protection orders in urgent cases — even on the day of application — before formally hearing the full case.

Beyond protection orders, the Domestic Violence Act provides:

• Residence order: Allowing the victim to remain in the shared household even if she has no ownership rights, or directing the abuser to leave the shared home.
• Custody order: Interim custody of children pending Family Court proceedings.
• Compensation order: Directing the abuser to pay financial compensation for losses suffered due to violence (medical bills, property damage, loss of earnings).
• Maintenance order: Directing the abuser to continue providing financial support to the victim and children during proceedings.

The process to seek protection:

1. Contact an Enforcement Officer — appointed officers at the local government level are designated to assist domestic violence victims. They help file complaints without requiring the victim to go to a police station.
2. File a complaint directly with the magistrate — you can also approach the Executive Magistrate (Judicial Magistrate) directly without going through the Enforcement Officer.
3. Seek police assistance — for immediate physical danger, call police first, then pursue the formal complaint route.
4. Engage a family lawyer — a lawyer can file the petition for a protection order in court urgently on your behalf, so you do not need to appear in the early stages if you fear retaliation.

You do not need physical evidence of violence to file a complaint — your testimony and supporting statements from witnesses or family members can be sufficient for an initial protection order.

The Domestic Violence Act created a network of Enforcement Officers — typically government officials at the district and upazila level — whose role is to:

• Receive complaints from domestic violence victims
• Assist victims in preparing their complaint
• Refer victims to emergency shelter, medical care, or legal aid as needed
• Accompany victims to court if required
• Monitor compliance with court protection orders

Enforcement Officers are a first point of contact for victims who do not have access to a lawyer or who fear being seen approaching a court directly.

The Domestic Violence Act operates alongside — not instead of — the regular criminal law. Serious acts of physical violence can also be prosecuted as criminal assault, causing grievous hurt, or under the Nari O Shishu Nirjatan Daman Ain 2000 (Women and Children Repression Prevention Act), which provides far heavier criminal penalties for serious domestic violence against women.

A skilled family and criminal lawyer can advise which combination of legal remedies — civil protection order, criminal complaint, or Family Court proceedings — is best suited to your specific situation and safety needs.

In addition to legal remedies, domestic violence victims in Bangladesh can access:

• One-Stop Crisis Centres (OCC): Available in major hospitals in Dhaka and divisional cities, providing medical, legal, and psychological services under one roof.
• National Helpline: National Women's Development Policy helpline for victims requiring guidance.
• Shelter homes: Government-run shelter homes (Nari Nirjatan Protirodh Cell) in divisional cities for victims who need to leave their home.
• Legal aid: State-funded legal aid is available for victims who cannot afford a private lawyer, administered through District Legal Aid Committees.

You do not have to face this alone. Reach out to a family lawyer in Dhaka or Uttara for confidential guidance on your legal rights and options.

The Domestic Violence Act 2010 primarily focuses on female victims. However, any family member experiencing violence can seek protection through general criminal law even if the specific Act's remedies are more limited for male victims.

No. You can seek a protection order and a residence order that allows you to stay in your home while the abuser is directed to leave or stay away from specified areas.

Yes. The Act covers all persons in a shared domestic space, including in-laws who commit or abet domestic violence.

Domestic violence proceedings can often be conducted privately. Your lawyer can seek that the case be heard in-camera (closed to the public). Discuss your concerns with your lawyer from the start.

File for an interim custody order simultaneously with the domestic violence complaint. The court can issue both a protection order and a temporary custody order on the same day in urgent cases.

You may apply to withdraw, but the court may choose to continue proceedings if it believes the public interest or the victim's safety requires it. Discuss with your lawyer before deciding to withdraw any case.