Educational institutions across the country were in uproar on Sunday as student protesters demanded justice for rape and action over violence against women.
Alongside this, people in various parts of the country also took to the streets to hold demonstrations.
From midnight, protests and processions were held at universities such as Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University, Rajshahi University, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (Sust), Buet, Eden College, and other educational institutions.
Protesters demanded fair investigations into rapes and swift punishment for the perpetrators.
Around midnight, students from Dhaka University’s Kabi Sufia Kamal Hall marched to Ruqayyah Hall to protest against violence and sexual harassment.
Students from other halls joined the protest, chanting different slogans.
Dhaka University’s female students announced the establishment of an anti-rape platform. This was announced at around 3:30am by Rafia Rehnuba Hridi, spokesperson for the Bangladesh Democratic Students' Council.
Earlier, at about 2:10 am, Umama Fatema, spokesperson for the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, made the same announcement at the Raju Memorial Sculpture.
Protesters from Jahangirnagar University (JU) blocked the Dhaka-Aricha Highway in the early hours of the day, demanding the swift arrest and trial of rapists.
At approximately 1:30am, students from the university marched from the Bottola area, passing through various roads, and eventually blocked the highway. They held their position until 3am, chanting different slogans.
Similarly, students from Rajshahi University held anti-rape protests and processions.
From the morning, protests were held at various locations, including the Oporajeyo Bangla sculpture at Dhaka University, Raju Memorial Sculpture, Buet’s Shaheed Minar, and various departments of Dhaka University.
These protests called for the swift trial of child rape cases, initiation of trials for past rape incidents, the formation of special tribunals for rape cases, and a call to raise awareness about police inaction in both public and private spaces.
Samina Lutfa, a faculty member from Dhaka University’s Department of Sociology, presented several demands regarding the harassment of female students on campus.
These included addressing the leaking of personal information of victims by the police, identifying and punishing cyberbullies and those threatening the victims, and investigating and removing accused officers through proper procedures.
Students at Buet held a human chain protest against rape, and they presented six demands, including the death penalty for rapists.
They also said that the interim government’s actions to ensure women’s safety are not satisfactory.
Students of Jagannath University(JnU) held a torchlight procession on Sunday evening to protest a rise in rapes across the country and demand swift justice for rapists.
The program started at 7pm from the campus, before passing through the Tantibazar area of Puran Dhaka and returning to the campus.
Students from University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) organized a protest carrying sticks, demanding the swift implementation of the death penalty for rapists and the assurance of women’s safety in the country.
The protest took place in the afternoon in front of ULAB’s main gate at the Ramchandrapur campus.
A collective protest rally against violence towards women was held at Chittagong University (CU) in front of the university’s Shaheed Minar.
Teachers and students emphasized the proper implementation of existing laws during the rally, with about 50 participants.
In Thakurgaon, a protest rally and procession were organized against murder, rape, and abuse in front of the city’s court premises
Students from local schools and residents joined the protest, chanting slogans such as “Stop murder, rape, and abuse; Stand up people.”
In Magura, students from Islamic University (IU) staged a protest by blocking the Kushtia-Khulna highway, demanding the death penalty for rapists and ensuring women’s safety.
They blocked the road for about half an hour, presenting the demand for swift justice and threatening further protests if no action was taken within 24 hours.
A protest was also held in Netrokona demanding the death penalty for rapists and justice for all rapes, including the recent child rape incident in Magura. A memorandum was submitted to the deputy commissioner after the protest.
Rajshahi University (RU) students boycotted classes and exams and blocked the Dhaka-Rajshahi Highway, demanding swift justice and punishment for rapists.
In Meherpur, a human chain was formed by the Jatiya Nagorik Committee and Anti-Discrimination Student Movement to demand the swift punishment of rapists and better women’s safety. The event was held in front of the Meherpur Press Club at 1 pm.
Students from Comilla University (CoU) also formed a human chain to protest against increasing rape cases and violence against women across the country.
In Tangail, a protest and human chain were organized by the Anti-Sexual Harassment Platform in the afternoon near the Tangail Press Club, demanding fair investigations and swift punishment for rapists.
In Rangpur, students from Carmichael College held a protest march and rally, chanting anti-rape slogans as they marched from the administrative building to the Lalbagh railway gate.
