Chhatra Dal Condemns Campus Threats, Calls for Culprit’s Arrest
In protest against the public threat of “gang rape” made against a female student of Dhaka University, the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (BNP’s student wing) organized a demonstration on campus demanding the expulsion of the accused student, Ali Hossain, and his immediate arrest.
On Tuesday, September 2, the protest march began from the TSC area and moved across the campus before concluding in front of the administrative building.
Earlier, on September 1, SM Forhad, candidate for the post of General Secretary from the Oikya Jote student alliance, and Md. Naim Hasan, Vice-President candidate from the Aporajeyo 71–Adommo 24 panel, submitted a written complaint to the University Proctor against the accused. Following their petition, the administration formed an inquiry committee.
A notification signed by Dhaka University Proctor Professor Saifuddin Ahmed stated that Assistant Proctor Muhammad Mahbub Kaiser has been made convener of the committee. Assistant Proctors Mrs. Shehrin Amin Bhuiya Monami and Md. Rezaul Karim Sohag were appointed as members. The Proctor’s Office has directed the committee to conduct a fair and expeditious investigation and submit its report.
Expressing solidarity with other student groups, Chhatra Dal held the demonstration on campus. Addressing the gathering, Abidul Islam Khan, Vice-President (VP) candidate from the Chhatra Dal-backed panel in the DUCSU election, said: “A student of Dhaka University is openly threatening a female candidate with gang rape. Yet he is still roaming around the campus. Neither the administration nor the law enforcement authorities have taken any action against him. Such behavior cannot be tolerated in a healthy society.”
Calling upon the university administration and police, he further stated: “He must be arrested and brought under the law immediately. The campus will only be safe when every inch of land is secure for our sisters.”
Denouncing threats and abusive remarks against female candidates, Chhatra Dal’s Joint Secretary Mansura Alam said: “A female candidate named Fahmida Alam has been subjected to vulgar comments and threatened with gang rape. This is highly reprehensible and disgraceful. Yet no action has been taken against the accused.”
She added: “After the fall of dictatorship, we believed Bangladesh would become a state of equality, human dignity, and equal rights. But since August, we have been facing medieval oppression. Repeated cyber bullying and attacks are being carried out to silence women’s voices.”
Meanwhile, the Dhaka University administration has formed a three-member fact-finding inquiry committee into the incident. The accused, Ali Hossain, is a student of the Sociology Department (academic session 2020–21) and a resident of Shaheed Sergeant Zahurul Haque Hall.
