The Jagannath University students stage demonstration, demanding immediate justice for the victims of sexual harassment and other repressions, including Fairuz Abontika, in front of the vice-chancellor’s office on Monday. — Md Saurav
A Cumilla court on Monday placed Jagannath University law department student Amman Siddique and assistant proctor Din Islam on two-day and one-day remand respectively in the case filed over instigating the death by suicide of Fairuz Abontika.
The police applied to the court seeking a five-day remand for Amman and two-day remand for Din Islam.
Senior judicial magistrate Abu Bakar Siddique passed the order, New Age correspondent from Cumilla reported.
He also ordered submitting the investigation report within the next seven working days.
According to the case statement, filed by Abontika’s mother on Saturday, Amman harassed her daughter sexually virtually and physically, and JnU assistant proctor Din Islam abused her verbally when she informed him about the matter.
Fairuz Abontika, a 13th batch student of law department of Jagannath University, committed suicide at her village home in Cumilla on Friday night.
Before committing suicide, she posted a status on her Facebook wall where she brought allegations of sexual harassment against her classmate Amman and also accused the university’s assistant proctor Din Islam of verbally abusing her in favour of Amman.
In the post, she mentioned that the two persons would be responsible for her suicide.
Police on Saturday detained the accused and the Cumilla police on Sunday interrogated them over their role in provoking Abontika to commit suicide.
Meanwhile, students under the banner of ‘Jagannath University against oppression’ on Monday organised human chain and a sit-in programme in front of the office of the vice-chancellor demanding justice for Abontika.
Several hundred students were seen standing inside the campus holding placards reading ‘we want permanent suspension of the perpetrators’ and ‘publish probe report’.
Shairful Islam Sabit, one of the protesting students, said that as the duo were arrested and remanded in police custody at present, they were protesting for thaier two-point demand.
‘We want immediate justice for all victims of sexual harassment and all other repressions against them,’ he said and added that on March 20 they would hold a press conference at the campus on their next course of action.
A section of Dhaka University students on Monday held a procession in front of the Aporajeyo Bangla in solidarity with the Jagannath University students.
They said that Abontika’s death is a structural murder where the proctorial team is entirely biased.
Due to partisan appointments at the universities, the authorities of the universities are supporting the perpetrators and the incidents are on rise, they said and urged all to join the movement for justice and changing the structure.
Bangladesh Chhatra Union and Samajtantrik Chhatra Front also held a procession at in front the TSC on DU campus in the afternoon demanding justice for Abontika.
Ganatantrik Chhatra Jote also held a procession and rally on the Chittagong University campus on the day, demanding exemplary punishment for the two accused.
Meanwhile, Samajtantrik Chhatra Front Barishal metropolitan unit organised a procession and rally at Ashwini Kumar Hall Chhattar on Monday morning demanding exemplary punishment for the perpetrators.
Culture of impunity and autocratic politics instigated the incident, they also alleged.
New Age
