Gang rape at JU: SUJAN demands exemplary punishment to perpetrators

The Citizens for Good Governance (SUJAN) has demanded exemplary punishment to the perpetrators involved in the reported gang rape of a woman at the Jahangirnagar University.

Expressing deep concern over the alleged incident, the citizen's platform called on authorities to conduct an impartial investigation and bring those involved to justice.

In a statement on Monday (5 February), the organisation said, "According to media sources, on the night of 3 February, a couple was summoned to Jahangirnagar University's Mir Mosharraf Hossain Hall. The husband was detained in the residential hall and the wife was allegedly gang raped. This allegation has been brought against a leader of Bangladesh Chhatra League, student wing of the ruling party, and some other students.

"Civic platform SUJAN is expressing deep concern about this incident. At the same time, the organisation is demanding that the perpetrators be brought to justice through a fair and impartial investigation, and be given exemplary punishment."

Mentioning that the university is the highest level of educational institutions, the SUJAN statement said, "This is where knowledge originates and develops and students get life-oriented and moral education. So when a heinous incident like rape happens in the university premises, we cannot help but be shocked and outraged.

"Moreover, the allegations of rape against the young students who are supposed to protest and build resistance against crimes and degradation like rape, are creating fear in our minds."

The civic platform added that a culture of impunity might lead to the recurrence of such incidents in university campuses.

Earlier on Sunday, a Dhaka court remanded four individuals, including a leader of the Bangladesh Chhatra League, arrested over the alleged gang rape for three days. 

The accused are Mostafizur Rahman, international affairs secretary of JU unit BCL; Sabbir Hasan Sagar, Sagar Siddique, and Hasanuzzaman.

A case was filed against six people at Ashulia Police Station by the victim of the alleged rape and police arrested four of them.