NN Online:
The streets of Shahbagh were filled with passionate voices and powerful slogans on Tuesday as students from 20 different colleges in Dhaka staged a dawn-to-dusk blockade, demanding justice for rape victims and calling for stronger punishment for the perpetrators.
The protest, which took place in front of the National Museum, was sparked by the recent rape of an eight-year-old girl in Magura and ongoing incidents of sexual violence against women across the country. The students, who rallied under the banner “Raise Your Voice Again, Dig the Rapists’ Graves,” expressed their outrage over the increasing number of such heinous crimes and demanded immediate action from the government.
Participating students came from several prominent institutions, including Notre Dame College, Dhaka College, Government Science College, Viqarunnisa Noon School and College, Bir Shreshtha Munshi Abdur Rouf Public College, Bir Shreshtha Noor Mohammad Public College, and many others. Their collective voice echoed throughout the area, calling for justice and accountability.
The protesters presented a six-point demand, with the key focus on the introduction of capital punishment for rapists and the public execution of offenders to set a clear and strong precedent. They also called for the establishment of dedicated tribunals to expedite rape cases. While the law currently allows for a 90-day verdict, the students demanded that the trial process be completed within 30 days through a special tribunal.
Additionally, the demonstrators insisted on immediate action within 24 hours of a reported rape. This includes the prompt arrest of the accused, medical examination of the victim, and completion of witness statements within this timeframe. They further pressed for the execution of a guilty party within 15 days.
The students also made it clear that they opposed any alternative dispute resolution in rape cases, emphasizing that such grave crimes should not be resolved through informal arbitration or mediation.
During the protest, chants such as “We Want Justice,” “Spread the Word Across Bangladesh, Bury the Rapists,” and “Who Are You, Who Am I? We Are Achia” filled the air, signaling the strong resolve of the students. Around 1 pm, demonstrators briefly blocked Shahbagh Road for 15 minutes, causing minor disruption before continuing their protest at the National Museum.
While acknowledging the public inconvenience during Ramadan, the students decided to withdraw the road blockade but continued their protest in other forms to keep the pressure on the authorities.
In response to the growing unrest, additional police forces were deployed to the area to ensure order. As the day progressed, more students from various colleges joined the movement, reinforcing their call for justice and demanding a safer Bangladesh for women.
This protest is part of a larger national outcry over the surge in sexual violence in the country, with public anger mounting over the lack of adequate legal and social protection for women. The students’ movement is calling for swift legal reforms and stronger measures to tackle this growing crisis.
