Home boss, police trying to cover it up

Agitations against mass molestation of females on Dhaka University during Pahela Baishakh celebrations escalated in the capital and elsewhere in the country yesterday demanding immediate arrest of the perpetrators.

Meanwhile, declaring fresh programmes at a press conference at Modhur Canteen at DU, Bangladesh Chhatra Union President Hasan Tarek alleged that the state minister for home affairs along with police is trying to cover up the incident of molestation.

He said one week has passed after the incident but police could not arrest any molester though video footages, still images and other evidence are available. "The state minister has kept his eyes closed," said Tarek adding that the people of the country will not accept any attempt of protecting molesters and covering up the incident. 

The fresh programmes are torchlight procession from the DU Raju sculpture at 6:00pm today; mass rally across the country tomorrow; a views-exchange meeting on sex assault and injustice and candlelight vigil at DU TSC and elsewhere in the country on Saturday; one hour class boycott from 11:00am in all educational institutions across the country on Sunday, anti-sex harassment campaign on April 27-29 and students' rally at district level on April 30.  

Students of DU economics department burnt effigies of molesters before the Raju sculpture at TSC. They demanded immediate punishment for the culprits and measures to beef up security on DU campus specially on the days of special occasions. 

Students from several departments of the university formed another human chain organised by the law department in front of Central Shahid Minar. Later, they brought out a protest procession on the campus. Hundreds of general students joined the procession.

Bangladesh Supreme Court Lawyers Association at a human chain organised by its female lawyers also announced continuous protest programmes across the country until punishment of the perpetrators are given.

People from all walks of life under the banner of Barisal alliance for preventing torture against women formed a human chain in front of Ashwini Kumar Hall in Barisal city yesterday.

They also brought out a protest rally in the city and handed over a memorandum to the district administration to send it to the prime minister and the state minister for home affairs demanding measures to stop such violence against women. About thirty socio-political, development and rights organisations took part in the events.

Nari Jogajog Kendra (NJK), a platform working to promote women's rights, formed human chains in Nilphamari, Mymensingh and Chittagong and submitted memorandums to the respective deputy commissioners demanding exemplary punishment for the offenders and stopping all forms of violence and harassment against humanity. 

Some 30 to 40 rowdy youths assaulted and molested around 20 females for about an hour at the Suhrawardy Udyan gate near TSC on Dhaka University campus on April 14.