Ensure justice for Noakhali rape victim
“People of the country know that Awami League activists raped a mother of four, so the ruling party should take the responsibility and ensure capital punishment for the rapists,” noted educationist Prof Mesbah Kamal demanded yesterday, while speaking at a human chain in front of the National Museum in Dhaka.
Around 60 people under the banner of “Students' Community against Rape and Sexual Violence” formed the human chain, demanding justice for the victim who was gang-raped hours after the December 30 general election, as according to her, she refused to vote for the “boat” symbol.
Prof Kamal said AL had abused its power during the 11th parliamentary election and the incident of gang-rape in Noakhali's Subarnachar on election day was a “blatant demonstration” of that.
Mesbah Kamal, a professor at Dhaka University's history department, also claimed that various cultural platforms in the country are playing a “biased role” and that is why they are now silent instead of protesting the injustice.
“Activists of a party in power, that claims to uphold the spirit of Liberation War, raped a woman -- this is a shameful episode in the history of the country,” he said.
Prof Kamal also demanded punishment for those who had wanted to save the perpetrators, exercising the power of AL.
There is no place for rapists in an independent Bangladesh. AL, by ensuring punishment for the rapists, should prove that the party is indeed upholding the spirit of Liberation War, he said.
In her speech, Rupashi Chakma, president of Hill Women Federation, alleged that an influential quarter, backed by the ruling party, is involved in land grabbing in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and many indigenous girls and women repeatedly fall victim to sexual violence due to lack of proper punishment.
Meanwhile, another platform called “Stand against Rape” formed a human chain at Raju Bhashkorjo near TSC of DU, protesting the gang-rape in Noakhali.
Sukanta Mondal, one of the organisers of the platform, urged Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to take immediate action against the culprits.
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