Protest Rally for Rumana
Call to shift case under Speedy Trial Tribunal
Manzur Hossain, father of Rumana Manzur, who lost her eyesight when her husband brutally attacked and pushed his fingers into her eyes, speaks at a protest rally organised by Rumana Manzurer Jonno Naybichar Mancha on Central Shaheed Minar premises in the city yesterday.Photo: STAR
Academics, human and women's rights activists, media personalities, cultural activists and students in a protest rally yesterday demanded exemplary punishment of Hasan Sayeed Sumon to avoid repetition of any forms of violence against women. Hasan brutally attacked and pushed his fingers into the eyes of his wife Rumana Manzur, an assistant professor of Department of International Relations at Dhaka University (DU), causing permanent blindness. Addressing the rally organised by a platform formed to press justice for Rumana on Central Shaheed Minar premises in the city, they expressed solidarity with Rumana and called upon the government to stop such violence by enacting a proper law. “When a female teacher of Dhaka University faces such atrocity, it is understandable what kind of repression common women face,” said Prof Akmal Hossain, convener of the platform titled “Rumana Manzurer Jonno Naybichar Mancha”. Prof Akmal demanded shifting the case filed by Rumana's father Manzur Hossain to Speedy Trial Tribunal. Meanwhile, Manzur yesterday filed a general diary with police seeking protection for Rumana and his family as Hasan's father suddenly arrived and entered Rumana's cabin at LabAid Hospital on Thursday without permission. He also tried to enter Manzur's Dhanmondi residence, said Rashed Maqsood, Rumana's cousin. Police has now ensured security at the hospital, said family sources. “In fact, Rumana has been practically murdered as nothing is left when the eyesight of a teacher is taken away,” said DU Vice Chancellor Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique at the rally. “Eye specialists in India were stunned at the severity of injury in Rumana's eyes. No surgery or transplantation is available to regain her eyesight,” said Manzur. Prof Gitiara Nasreen, chairperson of DU mass communication and journalism department, moderated the rally. DU teachers Prof Harun-or-Rashid, Prof Farid Uddin Ahmed, Prof Sadrul Amin, Prof Amena Mohsin, Prof Delwar Hossain, Prof Saiful Islam Khan, Prof Sadeka Halim, Prof Meghna Guha Thakurta, Assistant Professor Tanzim Uddin Khan, Prof Mafizur Rahman and Assistant Professor Zobaida Nasreen were present. Badruddin Omar of Jatiya Mukti Council, women's rights activists Shireen Akhter and Rokeya Kabir, and media personality Sara Zaker were also present.
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