Shahbagh attack victims detail mob violence, allege police failure and harassment by mobile journos
According to their statement, a group of 70 to 80 people had gathered nearby under the banner of 'Azadi Andolon,' openly calling for violence against queer and trans people.
A group of friends attacked near the National Museum in Dhaka has issued a detailed press statement accusing a mob of violence, police inaction and harassment by mobile journalists.
The incident occurred on Friday evening (10 April), when eight to 10 of them were sitting at a tea stall opposite Shahbagh Police Station, making casual plans to walk around the Faculty of Fine Arts area.
"Among us were a hijra friend and a trans man," read the press statement shared the next day, signed by social activist Kazi Muazzama Tasnim, artist Orchi Lohani, artist-curator Kazi Tahsin Agaz Apurbo, human rights activist Amina Sultana, teacher and trans rights activist Nirnoy H Islam, human rights activist Hasibur Rahman and student Mahadi Hassan Farhan.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
According to the statement, a group of 70 to 80 people had gathered nearby under the banner of "Azadi Andolon," openly calling for violence against queer and trans people.
The group reportedly issued threats that transgender and homosexual people must leave the area within 10 minutes or face brutal consequences.
After passing the friend group, they allegedly turned back when they noticed the group's hijra member.
"Some mobile journalists followed them. A light was pointed directly at our friend's face. We were told, loudly, that 'homosexuals must leave,'" said the statement.
What followed, according to the statement, was a sustained and brutal assault. Women were dragged by their hair, thrown to the ground and kicked repeatedly. Bags allegedly containing bricks were used as weapons. Clothing was torn and attempts were reportedly made to strip women.
Male friends who tried to intervene were separated from the group and beaten more severely, said the statement.
The attack took place in front of Shahbagh Police Station.
The victims said they had approached a police officer and asked for help.
According to the statement, he stood by and did nothing.
The group eventually managed to escape with the help of local stall owners and bystanders and took shelter inside the police station.
However, they alleged that mobile journalists had followed them in, continued filming despite repeated requests to stop and actively provoked the attackers during the assault. "They were not neutral observers."
Inside the station, the victims said police had initially refused to take any action, declining to file a case, an FIR or a general diary.
Only after nearly three hours of pressure did police agree to record the incident, according to the statement.
However, what had been filed was neither an FIR nor a GD, but merely a complaint, the victims said they later learned through legal consultation.
The group then went to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for treatment and collected medical reports, returning home at around 3:30am.
The signatories said, "We are trying to recover physically and mentally. But this attack was not just on us. This was an attack on our basic rights, our safety, our dignity. This was an attack on our constitutional rights as citizens."
The group demanded a full investigation, identification of the attackers, justice, safety and accountability.
