During an attack on students at Chittagong University (CU), several female students were live-streaming on Facebook from beside a window on the second floor of a building adjacent to Gate-2.
Upon seeing the women live-streaming, some locals verbally abused them with obscene language and issued threats of rape. The students later left the building and moved elsewhere.
The incident came to light on Wednesday.
A female student from the Law Department said that a few students were staying on the second floor. On Saturday night, local individuals began assaulting students directly below their residence.
The incident was being live-streamed on Facebook, which the locals noticed. They attempted to break down the door and enter, but were unsuccessful. They subsequently threatened the women with sexual violence.
The student said the women left the scene after the army arrived that night. She added that they were concerned for their safety, as locals had taken photographs of the building. The matter has already been reported to Sayeed Bin Kamal Chowdhury, a member of the proctorial body.
Sayeed Bin Kamal confirmed that the incident has been taken very seriously and that steps have been taken to ensure the complete safety of the students.
Meanwhile, in protest against moral policing, rape threats, cyberbullying, and administrative negligence against female students amid the current university situation, an organization named Nari Angan sent an open letter to the chief adviser and the nation.
The letter was read at 4pm on Wednesday at a hut in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. Sumaiya Shikdar, former coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and organizer of Nari Angan, read the letter. Members Jannatul Ferdous and Mahbuba Sultana were also present.
The letter stated that although they began their journey with new hopes after Hasina’s fall, the university administration has, within a year, created a hostile environment for women through misogynistic activities. The proctor himself has made derogatory remarks about women, imposed evening laws, and deliberately expelled female students. As a result, women are repeatedly subjected to harassment both online and offline.
It further noted that on Saturday at 11:15pm, a female student returning after dinner was denied entry at the gate by the gatekeeper, who later assaulted her with kicks and punches. This led to an attack by local thugs in which nearly 1,500 students were injured, some of whom remain hospitalized.
When the victimized female student’s account was published in the media, obscene comments and rape threats circulated on social media. Members of Nari Angan have also received lewd messages on personal WhatsApp accounts, and harassment is being carried out through fake profiles, the letter added.
Nari Angan said that the situation is extremely concerning. Ongoing campus violence, administrative negligence, and false propaganda by Shibir have placed female students’ safety at serious risk.
During the event, Nari Angan member Jannatul Ferdous presented seven demands on behalf of the organization.
