Protests on against cop brutality

Police yesterday came under heavy criticism from platforms of professionals, teachers, rights activists and left-leaning students for brutally beating protesters instead of arresting people who had sexually assaulted women during the Pahela Baishakh celebrations.

Speakers at human chain programmes and rallies at different parts of the capital urged the government to probe the incident and punish the cops who thwarted the demonstration on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the High Court yesterday ordered the inspector general of police (IGP) to report to it by June 14 on the action taken against the policemen who beat up the protesters near the Dhaka Metropolitan Police headquarters.

Following a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Eunus Ali Akond on Monday, the HC sought an explanation for why the police action would not be declared illegal.

The bench of Justice Quazi Reza-Ul and Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman also issued a rule asking the government to explain why it should not be directed to take legal action against the law enforcers responsible for the incident.

SC lawyer barrister Jyotimoy Barua, referring to the Police Act, 1861, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 and Police Regulations, Bengal 1943, said: "I didn't find anywhere that four male police members can attack a female."

He was speaking at a rally organised by a group of writers, teachers, students, artists, professionals and cultural and political activists in front of the National Museum in the afternoon.

By carrying out the attack on the female protester, police committed a "sexual terrorism" which was similar to the sexual assault on women on the Dhaka University campus on April 14, Barua claimed.

Prof Gitiara Nasreen of the DU's mass communication and journalism department said, "I feel that we can be victims of sexual harassment or killed any time. Since we've nothing to lose, why don't we stage protests [against sexual assault]?" she asked.

Samajik Pratirodh Committee, a platform of 68 women and human rights organisations, and Jatiya Konna Shishu Advocacy Forum, jointly formed a human chain in front of the Jatiya Press Club in the afternoon protesting the police brutality.

"Closing a police member or suspending him is not enough," said Rokeya Rafiq Baby of Karmojibi Nari, referring to the suspension of a senior police constable for "misbehaving" with a female demonstrator during the incident.

Speakers at the programme said incidents of such police action recurred as the accused cops often either get promoted or transferred later.

They said legal action along with departmental steps should be taken against any policeman for abusing power.

Meanwhile, condemning the police action, Human Rights Forum Bangladesh in a press release yesterday held the government responsible for such violent actions by law enforcers.

The statement said people would lose their faith in the police if such incidents did not stop.

In another statement, 72 women professionals blasted the "attempt by police high-ups" to what they said legalise the attack on the protesters.

Bangladesh Chhatra Union organised a sit-in near Raju Bhaskarjya on the DU campus protesting the sexual assault on women and Sunday's police action on its activists.

A students' strike was observed yesterday at a number of public educational institutions, including Dhaka, Jahangirnagar, Chittagong and Jagannath universities. Pragatishil Chhatra Jote and Samrajjobad Birodhi Chhatra Oikya enforced the strike from 6:00am to 12:00pm.

Later, they brought out a procession and held a press conference at Modhu's Canteen at the DU. The leaders of the platforms gave a seven-day ultimatum to the government to fulfil their six-point demand.

The demands include arresting the perpetrators of the sexual assault on women on April 14, removing the DU proctor, punishing the policemen who brutally beat up the protesters.

 Following the sexual assault on about 20 women in presence of law enforcers on the DU campus, the protesters tried to lay siege to the DMP headquarters on Sunday.

However, police pounced on the demonstrators, injuring at least 34 leaders and activists of Chhatra Union, and assaulting women activists.