Another rally slams police nonchalance

Several rights and socio-political organisations at a rally yesterday protested repeated incidents of sexual assault on females, including the gang-rape of a Garo woman in a microbus in the capital on May 21.

Demanding immediate arrest and exemplary punishment for those who raped the Garo woman, Bangladesh Adivasi Forum organised the rally on the Central Shaheed Minar premises.

They also demanded that the government ensure security for all indigenous females and take responsibility for the incidents.

Around 50 organisations, including Garo Student Union, Pahari Chhatra Parishad, Ain o Salish Kendra, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, Bangladesh Chhatra Union, Bangladesh Chhatra Federation, Udichi Shilpi Gosthi, and Nari Pakkha, expressed solidarity with the forum.

Rights activist Khushi Kabir condemned irresponsibility of police that allow repeated rape incidents to take place.

She claimed police arrest rapists only after getting a green signal from higher authorities, and not before.

Prof Mesbah Kamal of Dhaka University urged the prime minister take all responsibilities of the Garo woman.

Jouno Nipiron Birodhi Nirdolio Chhatra Jote, a students' alliance against sexual harassment, announced that they would march to the Prime Minister's Office today to give a memorandum to the prime minister to dispose of the rape case quickly.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Chhatra Union also organised a rally on the DU campus demanding immediate arrest of criminals who molested females, including those responsible for the mass molestation of females on the campus during Pahela Baishakh celebrations.