Speakers at a demonstration programme at Dhaka University yesterday blamed the university authorities and the law enforcers for the sexual assault on a number of women during the Pohela Boishakh celebration.
They also demanded exemplary punishment of the sexual offenders and removal of DU Acting Proctor professor Amzad Ali for his alleged negligence in tackling the incident.
Speaking at a solidarity rally protesting the sexual harassment at Raju Memorial Sculpture at the DU campus, Jahangirnagar University professor Anu Muhammad alleged that the law enforcers were patronising the sexual offenders by not arresting them.
President of the DU unit of Bangladesh Chhatra Union, Liton Nandi criticised the DU authorities for wasting time. “They have been observing the two-hour CCTV footage for three days now. How ridiculous!”
“When we sought help from a few policemen standing 20 yards from the spot, they said the area was beyond their jurisdiction,” said Amit, another Chhatra Union activist, who also came under attack while trying to save the women and had his fingers fractured.
“Even the university proctor did not come to the spot, when we informed him, to save the women. He said there was nothing much for him to do,” he added.
Expressing concern over the increasing incidents of sexual assaults, Chhatra Union General Secretary Lucky Akter said women were violated across the country by an influential body of youth as the police never take any action against them.
From the rally she put forward a six-point demand including the immediate resignation of DU proctor, quick arrest and exemplary punishment of the sexual offenders, formulation of a law against sexual harassment and enhancing the security measures in DU area.
Lucky later declared further actions that included a press conference at Madhur Canteen on April 18, countrywide demonstration on April 19, human chain from Aparajeyo Bangla to Curzon Hall on April 20 and submission of a memorandum to home ministry on April 21.
Also present at the rally, mayoral candidate of Dhaka North City Corporation polls Abdullah Al Kafee vowed to go on a sit-in programme in front of the DMP office from Saturday.
Naribarta Editor Kamal Lohani said it was astonishing that the DU authorities and the law enforcers were still silent about the incident.
Earlier in the morning, students from various universities formed a human chain at Raju Memorial Sculpture demanding punishment of the sexual offenders.
The student organisations, women rights organisations and leaders of various political parties attended the demonstration and warned of a tougher movement if the culprits were not arrested without delay.
When contacted, DU Acting Proctor Professor Amzad Ali said: “There were many outsiders at the university campus on that day and police were asked to boost security but that did not happen as per plan.”
He, however, denied any allegation of negligence saying the university authorities had always been very strict about such offences.
