JU administrative building blocked demanding justice in attempted rape case

Female students at Jahangirnagar University (JU) are staging a blockade to demand the immediate arrest and prosecution of an individual involved in an attempted rape of a student.

Around 10:00 am today, Sunday, the protesters locked both gates of the university's new administrative building. Earlier on Saturday, the protesting students declared the university’s proctorial team ‘unwelcome’ and locked the proctor’s office.

Around 11:00 pm on 12 May, an attempted rape of a female student was reported after she was allegedly dragged into the darkness from a road adjacent to the university’s abandoned Fazilatunnesa Hall.

Following the incident, the university administration filed a case with Ashulia Police Station against an unidentified individual. However, five days after the incident, the accused still remains at large.

The protesters said the administration’s apparent indifference despite such a serious incident inside the university has angered them. They added that even after several days, they have received no concrete update on the progress of identifying or arresting the accused.

They said the blockade of the administrative building was aimed at ensuring accountability from the university authorities and demanding the immediate arrest of the accused and swift trial.

Speaking about the blockade, Famhida Moon, a student of the 52nd batch of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, said, “Among our six-point demands, the first was that the rapist must be arrested within 48 hours. If they fail, the entire proctorial body must resign.”

“Who will take responsibility for the series of incidents that have taken place since Professor AKM Rashidul Alam became proctor? We have locked the registrar building. They must come to us and confirm how many more hours it will take to arrest the rapist. We will remain here until the administration gives us that assurance,” she added.

Adrita Roy, a student of the 53rd batch at the Department of Drama and Dramatics, said, “We are seeing that the administration is not showing even the slightest sense of responsibility or accountability regarding this movement or the entire incident.”

“We are holding the vice-chancellor accountable and asking for updates on the investigation or arrest process at this moment. Sir has not been able to provide any updates. We are here today to speak with the vice-chancellor. From our position, we want to ensure the justice our sister deserves,” she added.

Adrita Roy further said, “Even after 106 hours, we have seen no real progress. What is being said is only reassurance—progress is being made, updates are coming, work is ongoing—but no one is telling us what work is actually being done or what progress has been made. In protest, we are carrying out today’s programme here.”