Chhatra League men foil anti-rape protest in Moulvibazar

A faction of the Bangladesh Chhatra League has reportedly attacked a peaceful demonstration containing general students who had been raising their voice in protest against the unprecedented rise of rape and violence against women in recent days across the country. 

Chhatra League activists injured five protesters in the skirmish that took place in front of the Moulvibazar Press Club at 12pm Thursday. 

Ayesha Aktar Naomi, one of the protesters, said: “Me and my fellow classmates, along with a number of other student participants, took position in front of the press club 11am Thursday to continue participating in the anti-rape movement that has been rocking the nation.”

Out of nowhere, activists of Chhatra League came in groups and swooped on us around 12pm, injuring several student protesters, she added.

However, when contacted police denied any knowledge of the incident.

Moulvibazar Sadar police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Yasinul Haque said they did not receive any complaints regarding the incident.

Similarly, Amit Roy, vice president of district unit Chhatra League, also claimed to have no knowledge of the incident. “If an incident like this indeed had occurred I would have known about it.”

Student protests, in Dhaka and elsewhere, erupted after a video emerged showing several men stripping and attacking a woman from a disadvantaged community in the southern district of Noakhali.

Even before the video footage emerged, tension had been brewing since several members of the ruling party’s student wing were arrested last week and charged with gang-raping a woman in northern Sylhet