Necrophilia in Bangladesh: Crimino-Legal Deficits and the Need for Urgent Penal Reform

Abstract

Necrophilia, defined sexual attraction to or sexual contact with a human dead body, indicates one of the most serious forms of sexual misconduct. The inherent dignity owed to a human being, which persists beyond life, is basically violated by this act. Despite its severe moral and societal offense, the legal and criminological disposition of necrophilia remains ambiguous in many jurisdictions, including Bangladesh. This article carefully examines the existing legal framework in Bangladesh concerning necrophilia, precisely material deficiencies in statutory provisions arising from the Penal Code, 1860, the oldest criminal law in Bangladesh. After analysis of recent domestic cases recorded and exploring the underlying criminological factors, the study highlights the urgent need for comprehensive legislative and institutional reform to adequately criminalize the act, protect human remains, and align Bangladeshi law with international standards of justice and morality.