Constable Removed Over Rape Threat to BUET Student

A police constable has been withdrawn from duty after allegedly posting obscene remarks and issuing rape threats on social media against a female student of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) for her involvement in recent protests.

The matter was disclosed on Sunday night, August 31, following a meeting with Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md. Sajjat Ali, said Shakil Ahmed, Senior Vice President of the Students’ Rights Movement in Engineering.

He stated, “Our female students are being threatened in various ways. Recently, a police constable threatened one of our female students with murder and rape. When we informed the DMP about the matter, the constable was removed from his duties. However, we were not provided with his name or identity.”

Earlier in the afternoon, students of the Engineering Students’ Rights Movement went to the DMP headquarters to file complaints regarding cyberbullying and other related issues. During the nearly two-hour meeting, they discussed incidents including the use of excessive force against students at Shahbagh on August 28, harassment of a student in Rangpur, and other matters connected to the ongoing movement.

After the discussion, DMP Commissioner Sheikh Md. Sajjat Ali told reporters:
“The use of force against students was discussed. We also spoke about the responsibilities of both the students and the police to ensure that such situations do not recur in the future. We clarified that student gatherings in areas where assemblies are prohibited were not legally valid. Moreover, a committee has been formed to investigate allegations against those accused of assaulting students.”