Dhaka: The country today witnessed nationwide street protests joined by ordinary people, students, and women against the recently reported incidents of sexual assaults against women, particularly child rapes.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, these demonstrations were sparked by the brutal assault of an eight-year-old girl by her sister's father-in-law in Magura three days ago. This incident, along with recent reports of sexual assaults against women, has visibly enraged the public, leading to widespread protests across different parts of the country.
In Jhenaidah, a large group of people formed a human chain protest followed by a rally in front of Kaliganj Bus Stand, demanding exemplary punishments for the culprits of sex crimes. Protesters emphasized that rapists lack any social or political identity and are worse than animals, calling for the death penalty in line with the law if allegations are proven through due legal process. The protest was addressed by various community leaders, including journalist and social worker Shahriar Alam Sohag, and student leaders Maruf Billah and Mousham Uddin Shovon, among others.
In Cumilla, a protest rally at Chandina-Bagur Bus Stand was organized mainly by students and youths, drawing a significant crowd and causing a major traffic jam on the Dhaka Chattogram Highway. Md Rabbi, convener of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement Chandina Municipality unit, demanded immediate and proper steps to curb rape and murder across the country.
Tangail witnessed similar fervor as students and locals arranged a protest rally and sit-in programme, demanding the highest punishment for the culprits. This event was preceded by a street march from Ghatail Upazila Parishad Chattar to the central Shaheed Minar.
At Rajshahi University, students organized a protest procession demanding measures to ensure the security of women and children. The march started and ended at Zoha Chattar, parading through various streets on the campus.
Jahangirnagar University (JU) students blocked the Dhaka-Aricha highway early today, disrupting traffic for an hour. Hundreds of JU students had earlier marched from Shaheed Rafique-Jabbar Hall premises to the highway, demanding maximum security for children and women. Nazmul Islam, an Anthropology department student, highlighted the increasing trend of such crimes due to a lack of visible justice.
In Magura, under the banner of Samajik Andolan, people submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner demanding maximum punishments for those involved in the rape of the eight-year-old child. The event included a protest procession and rally, with key speakers like Nari Nirjatan Pratirodh Committee general secretary Alpona Begum and others.
Islamic University (IU) students in Kushtia also staged a protest demanding punishment for the rapist of the eight-year-old girl. They blockaded the Khulna-Kushtia highway for half an hour, gathering at the university's 'Bottola' area and parading the campus roads, chanting slogans for justice. IU student Sadia Mahmud Mim expressed the collective anger, stating that the incident is a societal shame and demanding exemplary punishment for the perpetrators to deter future crimes.