Protests resound in capital five days into incident without any arrest

The capital saw a plethora of protests for the fifth day yesterday against Pahela Baishakh's mass molestation of women at Suhrawardy Udyan but a group of Dhaka University's fine arts students was denied entrance to Shahbagh Police Station when they tried to protest on the premises against "the cops' gross negligence in duty on the day of the incident".

Addressing the on-duty policemen from outside the locked gate, the students threatened to wage tough movement if the sexual offenders are not brought to book within 24 hours.

"How could the criminals assault women for over an hour in front of you? Have you been wearing blinders?" Jayatu Jahan, an MA student, asked the policemen standing inside the gate.

"How long does it take you to understand that women were being assaulted?" asked another student Zarin Tasnim.

Asking the students to be patient, Officer-in-Charge Sirajul Islam replied that a high powered probe committee is working on the case.

The students and teachers of the Faculty of Fine Arts (FFA) also formed a human chain on its premises demanding immediate arrest of the assaulters.

Noted cartoonist Prof Shishir Bhattacharya and FFA Dean Prof Nissar Hossain drew large caricatures of sex offenders on the road which the students later completed.

People from all walks of life form a human chain at Savar Bus Stand yesterday as a show of protest against the incident of sexual harassment of more than 20 females on Pahela Baishakh. Photo: Star

Meanwhile, Prime Minister's International Affairs Adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi said the government will bring the perpetrators to book. It may take some time to complete the legal proceeding including the investigation but the government will not spare anyone involved in the incident, he said at BBC Bangladesh Sanglap in the capital yesterday.

Inam Ahmed Choudhury, an adviser to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, said such incidents recur as the perpetrators go untried. He also blamed moral degradation for such incidents.

Syeda Rizwana Hasan, chief executive, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association, said the comments of law enforcing agencies put her in doubt whether the perpetrators would really be brought to book.

Meanwhile, quoting media reports, DU teachers, in a press statement, said it was an organised group that tried to sexually assault women in the presence of police. It is shameful for the whole nation that any of the criminal is yet to be arrested, added the release signed by over 50 teachers.

Samajtantrik Chhatra Front and Bangladesh Chhatra Federation also brought out separate processions and staged rallies on the DU campus.

Bangladesh Chhatra Federation also demanded resignation of DU Proctor AM Amzad, blaming him for his inaction in taking any step to nab the perpetrators.

During the joyous celebration of Pahela Baishakh, some 30 to 40 rowdy youths assaulted and sexually harassed around 20 women for about one hour at the Suhrawardy Udyan gate near the TSC area around 6:00pm on Tuesday, said witnesses.

The CCTV footage of that day also clearly showed multiple incidents of sexual assault on women.