The accused in the assault case involving two young women at a tea stall in Lalmatia, Dhaka, has been arrested.
Rinku, the man accused of harassing and attempting to physically assault the women, was taken into custody after the incident garnered widespread attention on social media.
The incident occurred on March 2 when two women were smoking in public at a tea stall in Lalmatia. An elderly man objected to their smoking, which led to an argument.
As tensions escalated, Rinku intervened, attempting to mistreat the women. The situation quickly became heated, with onlookers gathering at the scene.
To defuse the situation, police were called to the location and managed to mediate. However, when a video of the incident went viral on social media, it sparked widespread public outrage.
Many condemned the accused's actions, demanding justice and the punishment of those responsible. The video also reignited debates on public smoking, particularly the criticism surrounding women smoking in public spaces.
Culture Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki confirmed the arrest of Rinku in a Facebook post on Monday, saying that the harasser had been apprehended. His post was followed by a line from a song by singer Farzana Wahid Shayan.
Following the incident, protests erupted in Dhaka and other parts of the country, with people expressing their anger. Social media users also called for the resignation of the Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury and demanded a fair trial for the accused. In Manik Mia Avenue, protesters burned an effigy of the adviser during a rally.
The police have initiated an investigation into the matter. However, further details regarding the legal proceedings against Rinku have not yet been disclosed. No official statement from the police has been made at this time.
