Protests spread over rape incidents


FE REPORT | Published: October 05, 2020 23:35:46


RAISING VOICES: An activist of a student organisation shouts slogans during a protest at violence against women at Shahbagh intersection in the city on Monday — FE photo by Shafiqul Alam

Protesters staged demonstrations across the country on Monday against recent incidents of sexual violence against girls and women including the sexual harassment of a woman in Noakhali.
They also demanded the government take immediate steps to stop all sorts of violence against girls and women in the country.
Twenty-seven rights organisations organised protests in 24 districts including Dhaka city. ActionAid and National Forum of Preventing Violence Against Women also staged demo against violence against girls and women.
Protesters formed a human chain in the city and demanded resignation of the home minister for his failure to stop rape incidents and oppression against women.
Besides, they demanded the authority concerned ensure safety of girls and women in workplaces and educational institutions, use information technology and modern equipment to ensure their safety in public places.
The High Court on Monday ordered the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to remove all the links of the recorded video clip of torturing the woman in Noakhali that sparked outrage across the country.
The court, however, asked the BTRC chairman to preserve a copy of the video clip and supply it to the court through attorney general's office.
Besides, the High Court formed a three-member inquiry committee to probe as to whether any negligence was found on the part of the law enforcing agencies to take immediate action against the perpetrators who were involved in raping and torturing the woman.
Committee comprising additional deputy commissioner (general) and district social welfare officer of Noakhali and principal of Chowmuhani Government SA College has been directed to submit a report in the court within 15 working days in this regard after taking deposition from the victim.
Deputy commissioner of Noakhali has been asked to give all kinds of logistic support to the committee.
The court also issued a rule upon the respondents to explain in two weeks as to why they should not be directed to take appropriate legal actions against the officer-in-charge (OC) and other responsible officers of Begumganj Police Station in Noakhali as they have been found to have neglected to take immediate action against the perpetrators who were involved in raping and torturing the woman.
Home secretary, public administration secretary, post and telecommunication secretary, BTRC chairman, deputy commissioner of Noakhali, UNO of Begumganj upazila and OC of Begumganj Police Station have been asked to comply with the rule.
The High Court bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Mohi Uddin Shamim passed the order as a suo moto move after a Supreme Court lawyer, Abdullah Al Mamun, brought some news reports regarding the issue to the attention of the court.
OC of Begumganj Police Station has been directed to inform the court about the latest situation of the case on October 28 this year.
Members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested two more accused from Dhaka and Narayanganj in connection with the torturing of the housewife.
The arrestees are Delwar Hossain, 26, chief of local Delwar Bahibi and Md Nur Hossain alias Badal, 20, key accused in the cases, said a press release of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab).
A special team of Rab-11 conducted a drive in Shimrail area on Dhaka-Chattogram highway in Siddhirganj around 2:30 am and arrested Delwar along with a pistol, two bullets and a magazine.

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