Dhaka University students have issued a 24-hour ultimatum demanding capital punishment for rapists.
Protesting the recent incidents of rape, they held a two-hour sit-in before the Raju memorial sculpture on the campus at midnight on Saturday and returned their respective halls after announcing the ultimatum.
Around 2:00 am, Umama Fatema, spokesperson of the anti-discrimination student movement, declared that the interim government must ensure justice in the incidents of rape in the next 24 hours and in failure to fulfill the demand, the home affairs adviser must resign.
The protesting students have launched a Facebook group called ‘Anti-Rape Mancha’ to coordinate protests against sexual violence across the country.
A student, Anika Tahsina, wrote in the group, “From today, students have declared the Raju sculpture an ‘Anti-Rape Mancha’ as a strong voice against rape and violence against women. We will not remain silent any longer.”
Earlier, students from Kabi Sufia Kamal Hall brought out a march around 12:00 am, protesting recent rape incidents across the country. Students of Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah Hall joined the march and it moved towards the Raju sculpture.
Meanwhile, similar marches came out from other residential halls and joined the protest before the Raju memorial sculpture. During the demonstration, students chanted various slogans, including demand for capital punishment of the rapists and call for boycotting them.
The students said they want to see a fair and speedy investigation into recent rape cases and the capital punishment for perpetrators. They particularly demanded justice for the eight-year-old rape victim in in Magura.
There was also a torch procession by the students of Ruqayyah Hall around 7:00 pm, with the same demand. The procession marched through the VC Chattar on the campus before returning to the Ruqayyah Hall.
Later, the Bangladesh Democratic Students' Council staged a demonstration before the Raju sculpture around 8:00 pm.
Protests at Jahangirnagar and Rajshahi Universities
Students at Rajshahi University and Jahangirnagar University staged protests demanding justice for victims of rape and the maximum punishment for perpetrators.
At Rajshahi University, students gathered at Shamsuzzoha Square around 8:45 pm last night and held a protest march. During the demonstration, they chanted slogans such as, “Why was my sister raped? We want answers from the government.”
In a brief rally, Mehedi Sajib, former coordinator of the Rajshahi University Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, stated, “Our mothers and sisters are being subjected to violence in different parts of the country as part of an attempt to destabilize the nation. We want to tell the interim government of the new Bangladesh that if you cannot ensure the safety of our sisters and the public, then you have lost the right to govern this country.”
Similarly, at Jahangirnagar University, students began protesting around 1:45 am. They raised slogans such as, “In 2024’s Bangla, there is no place for rapists.”