Renowned Bangladeshi mountaineer Shayla Bithi was attacked by a group of miscreants while crossing an overbridge in Dhanmondi on Saturday.
The incident occurred around 2pm.
Shayla Bithi has filed a complaint with the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station regarding the incident.
The assault, which took place in broad daylight, left Bithi with multiple injuries, including a cut lip and bruises across her body, as reported by her husband, Taimur Faruk Tusher, a senior journalist.
Taimur shared details of the attack on social media, revealing that Bithi was assaulted from behind by individuals who pulled her hair and severely beat her.
He urged authorities to review CCTV footage from the area to identify the culprits and bring them to justice.
Speaking to Dhaka Tribune, Shayla said: "At 2pm, I was on my way to a personal appointment near Daffodil University. While crossing the road via the footbridge at Dhanmondi 27, several individuals pulled my hair and threw me down the stairs of the bridge. They then kicked and punched me. This happened in about 20 to 30 seconds, so quickly that I couldn't even recognize anyone. I have no idea what their motive was."
Zinat Ara Haque, coordinator of "Amrai Pari," condemned the attack, saying: "Law enforcement operates on a chain of command. If that structure fails, it leads to fear among people. There is still a lack of full police activity. In the past month, a belief has emerged that everyone has power, but this can backfire when that power is misused against others. If mob violence isn’t controlled, law and order will deteriorate further."
When Shayla went to Mohammadpur police station to report the incident, she was directed to the Sher-e-Bangla police station as the incident occurred under the police station.
Mohammadpur station officer-in-charge (OC) Ali Iftikhar Hasan confirmed the report, saying: "We received a report of such an incident, but it falls under the Sher-e-Bangla jurisdiction. I've sent her complaint to that station, and they will take legal action."
Sher-e-Bangla police station OC Mozammel Haque confirmed that the complaint has been registered but stated that no suspects have been identified.
Women's rights activist Khushi Kabir expressed concern over the attack and criticized the current state of law and order in Dhaka, stressing the urgent need to address public safety concerns, especially with such incidents occurring in broad daylight.
Notably, Shayla completed a basic mountaineering training course at India’s Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in 2016.
In October 2017, she became part of the first Bangladeshi team to complete the Manaslu Circuit (5,106 meters). In May 2018, she became the first Bangladeshi woman to summit the 7,045-meter-high Lhakpa Ri in Tibet. In May 2019, she was the first Bangladeshi woman to traverse the challenging Tashi Lapcha Pass at 5,755 meters in the Himalayas.
Additionally, in November 2021, she became the first Bangladeshi woman to cross the Three Passes in the Himalayas.