The 'anti-rape' movement remains uninterrupted on the fourth day following the incident of organized rape in the nearby jungle after detaining the victim’s husband in room 317 of Mir Mosharraf Hossain Hall at Jahangirnagar University (JU).
The campus of JU was chaotic with widespread protests, administrative building blockades, and demonstrations demanding justice for those involved in the incident on Wednesday. The movement included human chains, protests under the banner of the 'Anti-Oppression Platform', administrative building blockades, student protests, and cultural programmes.
Human Chain by Senators: The registered graduate representatives of the Senate of the university formed a human chain at Shaheed Minar at around 10 am demanding trials and exemplary punishment for those involved in the rape.
Professor Shamshul Alam, a senate member, stated, "Those who committed crimes must be punished regardless of their affiliation. Allegations against a teacher have been proven, but he has not been expelled yet. We demand immediate punishment for him."
Professor Ashish Kumar Majumdar, another senate member, commented, "Students are scared to stay in the halls, and legitimate students are living in fear. We want to see illegal students expelled within five working days."
Former Vice-Chancellor Professor Sharif Enamul Kabir said, "Those who have committed heinous crimes should be hanged. Almost five thousand illegal students are residing in the halls. It is necessary to evacuate the halls and ensure seating arrangements for regular students. The Provosts and Wardens must stay in the halls. Measures should be taken to ensure that boys and girls return to the halls by a specified time in the evening."
The Human Chain by the Teachers' Association: The Teachers' Association demanded the immediate implementation of decisions taken by the Syndicate to address the incident of rape and ensure a safe and harassment-free campus. A human chain was held at 12 pm on Wednesday with the participation of more than a hundred teachers near Shaheed Minar.
Parveen Jolly, a professor in the History Department, stated, "All those involved in the rape and those aiding it must be brought to justice. If the Provost and Proctor are involved, they should also beinterrogated."
The President of the Teachers' Association, Professor Motahar Hossain, said, "Some villains have tarnished the image of our university. We want to move beyond this. We cannot consider this barbaric incident as an isolated one. We have seen in the past that even perpetrators from prep halls have been expelled. I appeal to the government to ensure that they receive proper justice."
Protest by the 'Anti-Oppression Platform': A protest rally and assembly were organized by teachers and students of JU against rape and to demand a harassment-free safe campus under the banner of the 'Anti-Oppression Platform'. The protest took place from 9:30 am to 12 pm at the university's Murad Chattar.
Professor Golam Rabbani of the History Department said, "As long as the campus is not safe, our movement will continue. We will continue our movement until rapists, drug dealers, and extortionists are eliminated."
Protests by Ordinary Students: As part of the 'anti-rape' movement, ordinary students protested and assembled four times demanding justice in front of the administrative building. The protest took place at 3 pm and continued until 4:30 pm. Demands raised during the assembly included ensuring swift trials under national laws for those accused and accomplices, forming committees to investigate allegations of involvement against the Provosts and Proctors of Mir Mosharraf Hossain and Rabindranath Tagore Halls, expelling students involved in rape and harassment from all residential halls, taking punitive measures against the Security Branch for campus safety breaches, and establishing an effective anti-sexual harassment cell.
Previously, on Saturday night, Mostafizur Rahman and Mamunur Rashid Mamun allegedly raped a woman after detaining her husband in room 317 of Mir Mosharraf Hossain Hall at Jahangirnagar University and took her to the nearby jungle. Mostafiz, along with three others, was arrested by Savar Police the next morning, but Mamun has not yet been apprehended.
