Staff Reporter :
In a powerful demonstration of solidarity and justice, the Women’s Division of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami organised a human chain on Saturday in front of the National Press Club to demand immediate action on five key points related to sexual violence and child abuse.
The protest, which drew over a thousand women, was primarily in response to the brutal rape and murder of a young girl named Ashiya and the ongoing battle against sexual violence in the country.
The protesters raised their voices in unison, demanding the death penalty for all rapists, the immediate resolution of rape cases within 90 days, and the abolition of bail provisions in such cases.
Slogans like “Give the right to live and safety,” “Hang the rapists in public,” and “One law, one punishment-hang the rapist” echoed through the air as participants stood united for justice.
Professor Nurunnisa Siddiqua, Secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami’s Women’s Wing, addressed the crowd, condemning the violence against Ashiya and calling for swift justice.
“The verdict in Ashiya’s murder case must be delivered within a week, and the criminals must be sentenced to death. All rapists should face the death penalty,” she said, adding that the pervasive culture of secularism and the immoral education system in the country were contributing to such horrific crimes.
Siddiqua also called for the introduction of Islamic education in schools, urging the public to embrace religious values as a means to counteract the growing moral decay in society.
She further proposed the implementation of stricter legal provisions, demanding the abolition of imprisonment as a punishment for rapists and the sole application of the death penalty. Additionally, Siddika suggested the idea of publicly hanging rapists in their local communities to ensure both justice and deterrence.
The protest was not just limited to demanding justice for Ashiya but also addressed the broader issue of rape and sexual violence in Bangladesh. Advocates like Sabikun Nahar Munni and Nazmun Nahar Neelu, members of Jamaat-e-Islami’s central working committee, spoke in favor of a speedy trial process. They criticized the lack of morality in the current education system and the political culture that often allows criminals to escape justice.
“The education system is lacking in moral values, and there is a culture that allows criminals to escape under political protection. We demand that rape cases be resolved under the Speedy Trial Act, and rapists should face the death penalty,” Munni said. She further warned that if the government failed to implement their five-point demands, the party would launch a tougher movement to secure justice for the victims.
The five-point demands raised at the protest included the swift trial and death penalty for Ashiya’s rapists, the death penalty for all rapists, expedited trials for murder and rape cases, the introduction of Islamic education to address moral decay, and the implementation of Quranic law to reduce crimes like rape and murder.
