Never-ending wait for justice

On February 12, 2018, a Tangail court -- in just 14 days -- sentenced four men to death and another to seven years' imprisonment for raping and murdering law student Rupa Khatun on a moving bus. 

Many praised the quick trial, which is regarded as a milestone for the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal.

"Around three years has passed, and proceedings are still ongoing at the High Court. I don't know when this'll end and whether we'll get justice. I don't know anyone at the HC and couldn't get any update about the case," said Rupa's brother Hafizur Rahman Pramanik, in a press conference at Jatiya Press Club yesterday.

Amrai Pari Paribarik Nirjaton Protirodh Jote (We Can) and Nari Nirapotta Jote, a platform working for women's safety, organised the conference.

Ramzan Hossain, father of Suraiya Akter Risha -- who was knifed on a footbridge by her stalker Obaidul on August 24, 2016 in the capital's Kakrail -- also shared a similar experience, as Obaidul received death penalty and Tk 50,000 fine in August last year, but proceedings are still ongoing at the HC.

Ramzan could hardly speak a few sentences and broke into tears.

The two platforms organised the conference to present a nine-point demand to stop violence against women (VAW) and children, and ensure speedy trial of VAW cases. Of the nine points, two were that VAW cases should be settled in 180 days, and the HC must settle such cases on a priority basis within the prescribed time.

The other demands include ensuring proper security, necessary treatment and compensation for survivors, children and their families during trial proceedings; modernising and sensitising the process of taking witnesses in VAW cases; ensuring necessary policies and actions by the government to execute the 2009 High Court guideline to prevent sexual harassment; making the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act 2020 successful; adopting a zero-tolerance policy against rape, sexual violence and violence against women and children; announcing and implementing special campaigns against abusers of women and children; and amending and modernising all kinds of laws discriminatory to women.

Aklima Akter, mother of 14-year-old Marufa -- who was allegedly raped and killed by Singdha UP Chairperson Mahboub Murshed Kanchan of Netrokona's Barhatta upazila on May 9 -- with tears, described how police changed the initial allegations.

She also questioned the honesty and efficiency of personnel who prepared the forensic report.

We Can Co-chairperson Shaheen Anam presided over the conference and said perpetrators in VAW cases get away due to the culture of impunity.

"Our prime minister said there is a zero-tolerance policy regarding VAW, and for this, we have to work together. We hope our media colleagues will convey these heart-breaking experiences we heard from the victims' families and the fact that they have not seen justice," she said.

We Can Adviser Mahfuza Khanam expressed serious concern over the silence of 50 female lawmakers and the speaker regarding the remarks of Independent MP Md Rezaul Karim Bablu about rape incidents.

According to a news analysis of We Can, from January to September this year, 975 women and children were raped, and of them, 208 were gang-raped. This means, on average, 108 women and children were raped every month.