University students, teachers across country protest rape incidents, demand punishment of culprits
The protests began yesterday when students at Rajshahi University, Jahangirnagar University, and Shahjalal University of Science and Technology brought out rallies demanding exemplary punishment of the perpetrators
Highlights
- Students, teachers protest in front of Aparajeyo Bangla at DU
- Rajshahi University students blocked the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway
- Jahangirnagar University students protested at 2:30am, blocking the Dhaka-Aricha highway
- SUST students protested until 3:30am, with around 500 students vowing to form an anti-rape platform
Students and teachers of different universities across the country, including Dhaka University, North South University, Independent University, Bangladesh, and Rajshahi University, have demonstrated against the recent rape incidents, including that of an eight-year-old in Magura, and demanded exemplary punishment for the perpetrators of the crime.
Teachers and students at Dhaka University (DU) held a demonstration on campus, protesting against the recent incidents of violence against women and children.
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The protest, under the banner of the University Teachers' Network, began at the base of Aparajeyo Bangla in front of the Arts Building at around 11am and continued till 12:15pm today (9 March).
During this time, students from various departments of the university organised protest marches and human chains, chanting slogans against rape and violence against women.
At the demonstration, Dr Samina Luthfa, professor of sociology at the university, said, "We demand accountability for those responsible for negligence in handling the harassment incident involving a female student at Dhaka University. Secondly, we call for identifying and bringing to justice those who subjected the victim to further bullying, cyber-attacks, and threats of rape and murder."
She further said, "The mob that sought to glorify the dishonouring of women as an act of bravery must be properly investigated, and the perpetrators must face justice.
"Additionally, we urge the Dhaka University authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and take appropriate action, including dismissing the individual responsible for sexual harassment and moral policing," she added.
Samina Luthfa further said, "We have seen how the administration previously attempted to lock down the entire campus under the pretext of student safety, only to be forced to withdraw the move in the face of public outcry.
"However, when a student is subjected to harassment by a university staff member, it remains unclear why the administration delays or hesitates to take action."
"We hope the administration will examine why a resolvable issue within the university premises was handed over to the Shahbagh Police Station, potentially putting students at risk by exposing them to external threats," she said.
Also, teachers and students from North South University and Independent University, Bangladesh also staged a protest against the recent incidents of violence against women and demanding exemplary punishment of the perpetrators in front of NSU's Gate No 8 in the capital's Bashundhara Residential Area today.
Earlier yesterday, Islamic University in Kushtia called for capital punishment for the Magura rapist.
Rajshahi University
Students from Rajshahi University have been protesting the recent rape incidents across the country since this morning.
They gathered at the entrance of the university at 11:40am and blocked the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway, demanding exemplary punishment for the rapists.
During this time, the students chanted various slogans, including "we want Justice" and "Who are you, who am I? Aseya, Aseya".
Earlier at 11:30am, the students took positions at Shamsuzzoha Chattar of the university.
Wishing to be anonymous, a protesting student said, "From Tonu to Aseya, the governments failed to ensure exemplary punishment for the crimes. We ask the government to leave the rapists in the hands of the people if they cannot take actions against the culprits. The people will ensure justice, and you [the government] have lost the right to govern the country if you cannot provide security to the women."
Another protesting student said, "Sometimes female students are harassed inside the campus. If the women are not secure inside their campuses, how can they be secure outside? We demand immediate death penalty for the rapists."
The students left the highway and withdrew their protest for today at 12:40pm.
Salahuddin Ammar, a former coordinator of SAD, declared on behalf of the students, "The trials of the rapists of Tonu, Khadiza and all the other victims have to be concluded and the highest form of punishment has to be ensured quickly through forming a special tribunal."
During this time, Salahuddin announced the rejection of classes and exams from tomorrow (10 March) until highest punishment is given to the rapists. Salahuddin also announced to take position at Shamsuzzoha Chattar at 11:30am tomorrow (10 March), carry out a protest procession towards the entrance of the university and block the Dhaka-Rajshahi Highway again demanding punishment for the rapists.
Earlier yesterday, around 8:45pm, students of Rajshahi University (RU) gathered at Shamsuzzoha Chattar and protested the recent rape incidents across the country.
During the protest, the students chanted various slogans, including "Why are my sisters being raped, we want answers from the interim government" and more.
Mehedi Sajeeb, a former coordinator of Students Against Discrimination (SAD) at RU, said, "Some people are purposefully violating our sisters across the country to destabilise the nation. We want to tell the interim government that if you cannot provide security to the women and people, you have lost the credibility to run the state affairs."
Jahangirnagar University
Students from Jahangirnagar University (JU) demonstrated against the rape incidents by blocking the Dhaka-Aricha highway in the wee hours of today (9 March).
Around 1:45am, JU students brought out a protest procession from the Rafiq-Jabbar Hall of the university and went to the Dhaka-Aricha highway outside the main gate of the campus after making rounds of the female residential halls.
Students from at least 12 halls joined the procession, and around 2:30am, they blocked Dhaka-Aricha highway, demanding punishment for the rapists.
The students left the street around 3:00am after protesting for half an hour.
Nazmul Islam, a student of Anthropology at JU, said, "An eight-year-old girl and a third grader have been raped recently. The rape incidents are increasing due to a lack of action against the culprits. The situation now is the same as that of Sheikh Hasina's time, when crimes used to happen one after another. This type of situation cannot be accepted in a Bangladesh which has gone through a mass uprising."
"The government has to take responsibility for this deterioration of the law and order situation. The rapists have to be immediately arrested and given the highest form of punishment," Nazmul added.
Shahjalal University of Science and Technology
Students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) have also protested the recent rape incidents and demanded highest punishment for the perpetrators.
The protest started around 1am and went on till 3:30am, according to media reports.
Female students from various residential halls started the protest, who later went to Sirajunnesa and Begum Fazilatunnesa halls where their fellow students broke the locks and joined the protest.
During the protest, the students chanted various slogans, including "Inform the whole nation, bury the rapists" and more.
Around 500 students joined the protest, from where they announced to form an anti-rape platform in the campus.
