Staff Reporter :
Sexual violence and harassment are casting a dark shadow over educational institutions across the country, including public universities.
These incidents continue to plague campuses, often leaving victims silenced and the perpetrators emboldened.
The lack of a strong deterrent system and a consistent application of penalties is creating a climate of fear for women and a sense of impunity for the aggressors.
Experts warn that unless decisive action is taken to combat sexual harassment, it could snowball into a major social crisis.
Recent reports indicate a surge in sexual harassment cases within schools, colleges, universities, and madrasas nationwide.
This alarming trend comes despite a High Court verdict issued a decade and a half ago.
The verdict, delivered in 2009, mandated the formation of “Sexual Harassment Prevention Committees” in all educational institutions and workplaces across the country.
These committees were intended to serve as a platform for reporting and addressing sexual harassment complaints.
While some institutions have established these committees, their effectiveness remains questionable.
In many cases, they exist primarily on paper, failing to provide a robust mechanism for investigating and resolving complaints.
Renewed efforts are crucial to making these committees truly functional and empowering women to speak up against harassment.
The High Court’s 2009 verdict marked a significant step forward. In 2021, the Supreme Court established its own sexual harassment prevention committee.
However, the status of similar committees in lower courts and public and private workplaces remains unclear.
The recent formation of a committee within the Supreme Court Bar Association, while positive, raises concerns about exceeding the recommended five-member structure and including male members despite a directive for a women-majority committee.
The tragic suicide of Aritri Adhikari, a ninth-grade student at Vikarunnisa Noon School and College in Dhaka, in 2018 serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of inaction.
The verdict in the case against her alleged harassers, two teachers, has been delayed repeatedly.