IGP's remarks detestable, irresponsible

Former caretaker government adviser Sultana Kamal yesterday criticised Inspector General of Police AKM Shahidul Hoque's comments on the Pahela Baishakh molestation as "detestable" and "irresponsible" and demanded his resignation for failure to arrest the molesters.

Talking to journalists on Tuesday, the police chief referred to the April 14 sexual assault as "three or four boys making mischief".

She said police failed to ensure security of women during Pahela Baishkh celebrations, so there was no need of the force which was run by taxes of people.

The executive director of Ain o Salish Kendra was addressing a protest rally titled "Palta Aghat" (retaliation), organised by Bangladesh Chhatra Union on Dhaka University campus.

She demanded immediate arrest of the molesters and of the cops who beat up the demonstrators headed to Dhaka Metropolitan Police headquarters on May 10, protesting police failures to arrest those molesters.

Addressing the rally, President of Communist Party of Bangladesh Mujahidul Islam Selim accused the DU administration and police of being negligent in investigating the sexual assault.

"First the DU administration denied that any embarrassing incident occurred. Then they claimed that no Dhaka University student was involved in the incident because it would malign the university. Actually they want to cover up the incident," he said.

Expressing dissatisfaction at the role of police, he said the force completely failed to perform its constitutional responsibilities. "Now policemen have become criminals," he added. President of Jubo Union Abdullah Al Kafee and theatre personality Mamunur Rashid also spoke.