Students of Khulna University staged a midnight protest demanding the highest punishment for those responsible for the rape of eight-year-old girl in Magura.
The demonstrators also called for a fair investigation into sexual violence across the country and swift justice for the survivors.
The protest began around 2:30am on Sunday, as residential students from Khanjahan Ali Hall took to the streets.
Students from Khan Bahadur Ahsanullah Hall and Bir Shrestha Mohammad Ruhul Amin Hall later joined in solidarity.
The demonstrators marched across various campus areas before gathering at Hadi Square.
Chanting slogans like "We Want Justice," "No Place for Rapists in Bangladesh," and "Punish Every Rapist," the students voiced their outrage. They also called for urgent measures to curb sexual violence.
Fardin Ahmed Dipon, a student from the forestry and technology department, said: “This country has never seen exemplary punishment for rapists. Perpetrators believe they can act without consequence. We demand that no rapist walks free in Bangladesh. If strict action is not taken, we will escalate our protests across Khulna.”
Echoing similar sentiments, Md Russell Sheikh, a student of mass communication and journalism, said: “The culture of impunity must end. No criminal should be allowed to roam free. The highest punishment — death by hanging — must be implemented swiftly.”