Dhaka, March 15: As many as eight student organisations – demanding removal of Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, the Home Affairs Advisor in the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, for prevailing lawlessness in the country – called off their planned march in Dhaka on Saturday amid threats and intimidation, local media reported.
Highlighting the prevailing lawlessness in the country, the student bodies had announced a “mass procession” for Saturday to demand justice for victims of murders, rapes and harassment. However, they were called off amid threats and instead a brief rally was held.
“Every murder committed under this interim government must be accounted for. Our fight will intensify in the coming days,” Bangladesh Students’ Union President Mahir Shahriar Reza was quoted as saying by BDNews24.
Tensions rose as an anti-Awami League activist called for turning the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) office in Dhaka into the “headquarters of the revolutionary student-people’s uprising” as a counter to a mass rally organised by eight organisations.
The law enforcement agencies were later stationed around the CPB office amid threats. The CPB leaders later gathered in front of the office to deliver speeches condemning rape and violence against women.
“The brutal abuse of the child in Magura has left a stain on the entire nation. Law and order has deteriorated to the point where the government cannot control it. Incidents are happening one after another,” the Bangladeshi media outlet quoted CPB President Shah Alam as saying.
Several political parties and students are calling out the interim government for failing to curb gender-based violence as the protest against the death of Magura rape victim intensifies.
Earlier this week, several student organisations staged a torch procession at Dhaka University demanding justice for the growing incidents of rape across the country, the removal of the Home Affairs Advisor, and justice for the rape and murder of the eight-year-old child in Magura.
During the procession, protesters chanted slogans such as “We must fight to survive”, “Stop killings, rapes, and harassment, rise up, Bangladesh”, “Where there is murder and rape, there will be resistance”, among others.
“Today an eight-year-old child has died after falling victim to rape. We will not betray her. We will not stop until we ensure the resignation of this Home Affairs Advisor. A Home Affairs Advisor who cannot provide security to the people of this country has no reason to remain in office,” said a student leader.
Earlier, radical outfits and banned terrorist organisations have taken out rallies defying rules and regulation, spotlighting the panic that has gripped the country since Yunus-led interim government came to power in August 2024. –IANS int/scor/as