Students of the Women and Gender Studies department at Dhaka University on Wednesday staged a protest rally against a growing wave of rape, murder, and other forms of violence against women and children across the country.
The rally was held in the afternoon at the base of the Aparajeyo Bangla sculpture on the Dhaka University campus.
Speaking at the event, first-year student Afiya Homaira Zebu said their demands stem from years of accumulated frustration.
“What we’re demanding today comes from years of built-up frustration. We want a society free of rape. For years we’ve been talking about women’s empowerment and freedom — but none of that means anything as long as there are systemic barriers standing in the way,” she said.
“When a woman steps out of her home, her first thought is whether she’ll make it back safely. When even a six-year-old child has to carry that same fear, it tells you exactly where this country’s mindset and situation have ended up. Women may be showing up more in schools and workplaces, but until their safety on the streets and in public spaces is guaranteed, women’s empowerment will remain nothing more than words on paper.”
She also called on the government to crack down hard on what she described as “barbaric” incidents.
Second-year student Jahin Abdullah expressed deep concern over what he said was a rising trend of violence.
“Violence against women and rape are increasing by the day. Before we even have time to process one horrific incident, we’re confronted with another,” he said.
He alleged that there has been a consistent lack of effective action from the government and administration in response to such crimes.
“Unless the culture of impunity that has taken root in this country is dismantled, there is no stopping this violence,” he added.
Faculty member Dr Syed Md Sheikh Imtiaz said the government’s first step in combating crimes like rape must be adopting a zero-tolerance policy.
“It’s not enough to report the crime — the media needs to give equal coverage to the punishment. People need to see that there are real consequences,” he said.
“We have plenty of laws in this country, but they’re rarely enforced properly. Political influence almost always creeps into rape cases — one party commits thecrime; another tries to cover it up. Every political party should declare a zero-tolerance policy for its own members and refuse to shelter any offender.”
Imtiaz also said there is no proper tracking or registry for individuals who have served prison terms and been released.
“Many of them reoffend due to deep-seated psychological issues. That’s why proper counseling for offenders — and monitoring of their whereabouts after release — is absolutely essential,” he said.
Proposing the formation of a National Commission on Rape Prevention, he said the body should include academics, activists, and NGO representatives to research the root causes of rape and carry out regular monitoring.
The faculty member also stressed that gender training — education on equality between men and women — should be introduced in schools, colleges, and even within political parties.
“Boys need to be taught from a young age what constitutes violence and what doesn’t,” he added.