Dhaka University student's rape sparks protest, case filed

Dhaka University (DU) students have blocked the key Shahbagh intersection demanding punishment of people involved in the rape of a second-year female student of the university in Kurmitola on Sunday night. Vehicular movement came to a grinding halt at the intersection after 12:00pm when the students took position there, an UNB correspondent reported from the spot. Apart from them, Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) staged a human chain protest in front of the Raju Sculpture. Meanwhile, the victim’s father filed a case at the Cantonment police station, said officer-in-charge Sahan Haque. Friends of the second-year student said she got down in Kurmitola from the university bus in the evening. She was picked up by an unidentified man who rendered her unconscious and raped her. The victim regained consciousness around 10:00pm and contacted her classmates. She was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) around midnight. On information, DU proctor, teachers and students visited her. Bacchu Miah, inspector of DMCH police outpost, said the girl was hospitalised around 12:45am. Proctor Rabbani expressed shock at the incident and said legal actions will be taken. Bangladesh Chhatra League’s (BCL) Dhaka University unit brought out a procession on the campus around 3:00am on Monday demanding justice for the victim and punishment of the rapist. Meanwhile, Sifatul Islam, a student of philosophy, started a hunger strike in front of the Raju Sculpture protesting against the rape and seeking justice for the girl.