Dhaka, March 11: Amid ongoing protest movements in Bangladesh against gender-based violence, another six children were raped in six districts, according to local media reports on Tuesday.

At least seven people were arrested on Monday on charges of rape in six districts.

These cases of sexual violence were reported from across several districts of Bangladesh. The children who were sexually assaulted are all aged from six to fourteen. Among one of the incidents, a teenage girl who was a victim of sexual assault died by suicide after being falsely accused and vilified during a local arbitration meeting, reports the leading Bangladeshi newspaper, The Daily Star.

These rising incidents of sexual assault, despite the demonstrations by the people against the rising incidence of violence against women, exposed the further deteriorating law and order situation in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh has recently been gripped with protest marches against the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus. Women in Bangladesh took to the streets demanding justice for rape, stricter punishment for offenders, and the resignation of Home Affairs Advisor Jahangir Alam Chowdhury.

Students and teachers from different universities across the country also demonstrated against the recent rape incidents, including that of an eight-year-old in Magura who is currently fighting for her life, and demanded exemplary punishment for the perpetrators of the crime, local media in Bangladesh reported.

During the demonstrations, Dhaka University Professor Tasneem Siraj Mahboob called for the dismissal of the Home Affairs Advisor instead of his resignation, emphasising that she had demanded this months ago.

“Resignation is an honourable exit. He doesn’t deserve that honour,” she was quoted as saying by the country’s leading daily, The Dhaka Tribune.

The various political outfits that earlier joined hands to overthrow the democratically elected government of Awami League led by Sheikh Hasina have criticised the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus for the failing law and order situation and the rising incidence of violence against women across Bangladesh.

Addressing a rally on Monday, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Senior Joint Secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged that the rise in incidents of rape and violence against women in the country is due to the present administration’s inaction, according to a report by United News of Bangladesh.

“Why is this situation arising under the current interim government? If the administration had functioned properly, incidents of rape, murder, injuries, and corruption would not have escalated,” he said.

Rizvi said that the reality now is that the number of rape incidents has increased, and women are not safe anywhere in the country.

Addressing the media on Sunday, the radical outfit Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar told The Dhaka Tribune, “Women and children are not safe anywhere today — be it on buses, trains, launches, offices, homes, schools, or madrasas. The situation in the country is much worse than what is reflected in newspapers and the media.”

Several cases of violence against women have been reported from across Bangladesh since the Muhammad Yunus-led interim regime came to power in August 2024. The incompetence of the interim government in curbing gender-based violence sparked public outrage, with students demanding the resignation of Jahangir Alam Chowdhury and the interim government accountable for degrading the law and order situation across the nation.

Sanaa, March 11: Yemen’s Houthi leader, Abdulmalik al-Houthi, announced that his group is preparing military operations against Israeli-linked vessels if humanitarian aid does not reach Gaza within a four-day deadline he set last week.

“We stand by our deadline for the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip, and our armed forces are ready to execute operations,” al-Houthi declared in a televised speech on the group’s Al-Masirah TV channel on Monday.

The Houthi leader had previously issued a four-day ultimatum to mediators between Israel and Hamas to facilitate the resumption of aid deliveries to Gaza. This deadline is set to expire on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Houthi group, who control much of northern Yemen including the capital Sanaa, has launched drone and rocket attacks against Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea and Israeli cities since November 2023, expressing support for Palestinians amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

In response, Israel has conducted retaliatory strikes targeting Houthi military sites in Sanaa and the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah.

The Houthi attacks ceased following a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. However, the group now threatens to resume operations if the blockade on Gaza is not lifted.

The Houthi group, which controls large swathes of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, has previously targeted vessels they say are linked to Israel in the Red Sea as support for Palestinians during the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Israel has targeted the Houthis in Yemen five times during the ongoing conflict. The most recent strike occurred on January 10. The initial attack took place on July 20, 2023, followed by additional strikes on September 29, December 19 and December 26. The port of Hodeidah was repeatedly hit in these airstrikes.

Since November last year, the Houthi group, which controls much of northern Yemen, has been conducting missile and drone attacks on what it said were “Israeli-linked” ships in regional waters and beyond, as well as targets in Israel, to show solidarity with Palestinians amid their conflict with Israelis in Gaza.

Beirut, March 10: Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem reaffirmed that the group will not permit any Israeli presence in southern Lebanon, emphasising Hezbollah’s enduring strength and commitment to Lebanon’s defence.

In a televised interview with al-Manar TV, Qassem disclosed that during the ceasefire agreement, Hezbollah ceased operations but maintained full military readiness.

“Over the past 60 days, Israel has committed numerous violations. The agreement clearly stipulates that Israel must retreat beyond the Litani River,” he added.

On domestic matters, Qassem reiterated Hezbollah’s dedication to national stability and governance, endorsing the exclusive authority of security forces over internal security, Xinhua news agency reported.

However, he maintained that Hezbollah’s arms are crucial for confronting Israel. “Israel poses an existential threat, and resistance is Lebanon’s right,” he declared.

Qassem also addressed Lebanon’s reconstruction, affirming that rebuilding war-torn areas is a state responsibility. He emphasised Hezbollah’s continued role in political and military affairs, asserting that “resistance” will persist as long as Israeli threats remain.

A truce agreement, reached on November 27, 2024, largely halted over a year of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, including a two-month full-scale war that saw Israeli ground troop deployments.

The agreement mandated the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon within 60 days; however, Israel has maintained a presence in five strategic positions along the border, citing ongoing threats from Hezbollah.

Meanwhile, a Lebanese soldier and a civilian were wounded on Sunday by Israeli gunfire near the northern entrance of Kafr Kila village in southern Lebanon, according to official Lebanese sources.

The state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported that Israeli forces opened fire near the Fatima Gate in Kafr Kila, injuring a Lebanese army soldier.

The Public Health Emergency Operations Center, affiliated with the Health Ministry, confirmed that a citizen was critically injured by Israeli gunfire in Kafr Kila.

According to the NNA, another incident took place in the border village of Blida, where a small explosive device detonated, injuring a citizen who was collecting scrap metal. It added that the injured had been transported to a hospital in Nabatieh and his condition was stable.

Since November 27, 2024, a US- and French-brokered ceasefire agreement has been in effect, putting an end to over a year of clashes between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, which were triggered by the war in the Gaza Strip.

Although the agreement mandates a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory, Israeli forces remain stationed in five key positions along the Lebanese border well past the February 18 deadline and continue strikes in Lebanon, claiming they are aimed at neutralising “threats” posed by Hezbollah.