Bangladeshis march against rape, sexual assault

Hundreds of people in Bangladesh's capital have started a two-day march on Friday against a rise in cases of rape and sexual assault. The demonstrators were reportedly marching from from Dhaka to Noakhali. Local media said the protesters want perpetrators to be punished and the home minister to resign.

Bangladesh's Cabinet on Monday approved an increase in the maximum punishment in rape cases to death from life imprisonment after a series of recent sexual assaults triggered protests in Dhaka and elsewhere.

Local human rights groups say rapes have surged in the country. Ain-o-Salish Kendra, a women's rights group, said 889 rapes, including many gang rapes, occurred between January and August.

At least 41 victims died, it said. Rights groups say many more cases remain unreported because of fears of harassment by influential people. Bangladesh's judicial system is painstakingly slow and cases often take years to finish.