Sr. Staff Reporter, Kishoreganj :
Students have given the administration 72 hours ultimatum to take effective steps to prevent rape, robbery and terrorism in Kishoreganj’s Bhairab town.
The announcement was made at a protest program at the ‘Durjoy Bhairab’ square on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway under the banner of ‘Sharhan Santhosh’ at around on Friday. They have warned of surrounding various administration offices and Bhairab bus stand if visible steps are not taken within this time.
The speakers at the program said that kidnapping has taken away the peace of mind of the people of Bhairab. Robbery and rape are the main topics of discussion for the people of Bhairab, overshadowing all other discussions. The administration’s failure in this regard is clear. The administration must take responsibility for this. Social resistance must be built to prevent kidnapping from the program. Students Zahidul Islam, Tahsan Ahmed, Touhidul Islam, Mohammad Sami, Nur Mohammad, Nazrul Islam, Saifur Rahman, and others spoke at the program.
The violence of robbers is increasing day by day in Bhairab. They are also injuring pedestrians with knives. This is also causing casualties. To save themselves from such a frightening environment, local residents have launched a social movement. In particular, students have been continuously protesting with separate programs. Earlier, on Wednesday night, at around 10:45 pm, leaders and activists of the anti-discrimination student movement held a torchlight procession in Bhairab on the same issue.
The procession started from the ‘Durjoy Bhairab’ square, a memorial sculpture of the Liberation War on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway, and ended at the Municipal Shaheed Minar. Slogans were raised against the robbers in the procession. Slogans were raised against violence and rape against women and children across the country. Slogans were also raised against the failure of the police administration to prevent these crimes.
The protesters said that Bhairab is a commercial town and a important river port. Because of this, people travel on the city roads especially until late at night. Robbers take advantage of the opportunity. Robberies are now regularly taking place at at least 10 points in Bhairab. Especially at Bangabandhu Sarani Road, Bangla Center Point, Railway Station Road, Sweeper Colony Road, Natal Intersection, Gachtalaghat, Haji Asmat College Road and Stadium Road, robberies are constantly taking place. Several powerful robbery gangs are now active in the city. Some influential circles have indirect links with the gangs. It is believed that the police may also have a hand in it.
Shariful Haque, the main organizer of the Kishoreganj District Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, is one of the students leading the program. He said, “Our demand is to free Bhairab from kidnapping and to catch the rapists from all over the country and face the law. Be careful and aware so that the accused do not get bail quickly.”
Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Bhairab, Shabnam Sharmin said, “The administration is working in a coordinated manner to prevent Bhairab from kidnapping. I hope Bhairab will be free from kidnapping soon.”
Khandaker Fuad Ruhani, officer-in-charge of Bhairab Police Station, said the police administration is working day and night to prevent robberies and robbers are being caught every day”.
