The Dhaka University student who had filed a case against Mostofa Asif, an assistant bookbinder at the Dhaka University library, for harassing her has withdrawn the case.
The female student confirmed The Business Standard that she withdrew the case soon after the accused was granted bail and she had received death and rape threats.
“A meeting was also held at Dhaka University proctor office regarding this. I have submitted a written application to Shahbagh police station to withdraw the case. I see no point in fighting the case anymore,” she said.
“After having death and rape threat I’m shattered. I was in trauma after the incident took place. Now a group of people are threatening me online. So, I decided to withdraw the case,” the female student told TBS.
Khalid Mansoor, officer in charge of Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Shahabagh police station said he received the application for withdrawing the harassment case adding that “Police don’t have authority in making a decision to scrap or withdraw a case until the court orders. We will send the application to the concerned court.”
In a Facebook post which was later removed she said, “Police did not protest my information rather handed it over to the mob. I have been getting death and rape threats on Facebook and WhatsApp.
“There is no involvement of my university authority in withdrawing the case, rather my teachers and proctor team helped me.”
Regarding safety concerns she said, “My personal information was revealed by the police. When I asked them, they said that the case copy can be made public.
“Then why do they note so much information in the case copy? Let it be stores somewhere else. And why didn’t they tell me this in the beginning? Then I wouldn’t have filed a case. Do you have any idea how much I had to endure last night for this stupid rule of yours? When will this police force and these stupid rules of theirs change?”
“When will you [interim government] change the country’s judicial system? When will your reforms come? If you can’t do it, leave your post. Some people will create a mob for releasing someone who has confessed his wrongdoing, and they will be released!” she lamented.
This incident proves that now in the country, people can go around indulging in crime and eve-teasing, said the DU student. Even if the victim takes any step, they will be harassed, she added.
Earlier yesterday, Mostafa Asif Abrar secured bail from the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court amid overnight protests for his release by Tawhidi Janata.
The day before, the e DU administration handed over Asif to Shahbagh police station yesterday evening after he reportedly admitted to verbally abusing a DU female student for not having her “scarf” in the right place.
The student had filed a complaint in this regard with the DU proctor and later filed a case with the Shahbagh police station.
Shahbagh police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Khalid Mansur said, “The boy sexually harassed the female student of Dhaka University. The girl filed a complaint in this regard at the proctor’s office and the police station. Necessary action has been taken in view of this.”
In a Facebook post made earlier in the day, the DU student detailed the alleged harassment.
She shared a photo of a man in the post and wrote, “This man harassed me today on my way from Shahbagh. He suddenly stopped me on the road and told me that my clothing was inappropriate, I did not wear a veil among other things, and his behaviour was very aggressive.”
She wrote that when she enquired about his department and designated dormitory, assuming he was a DU student, the man replied that “he was not from campus”.
The student further wrote that she was wearing a salwar, kameez and a headscarf.
He ran away when she warned him that she would call the proctor about this incident, according to t he post.
