The High Court has issued a ruling for four weeks upon the authorities concerned asking why punitive measures should not taken against those, who have sexually harassed a number of women at TSC area on Tuesday.
When thousands of people were celebrating the Pohela Boishakh, gangs of unruly youths swooped on around five to seven women and sexually harassed them at Suhrawardy Udyan and some parts of Dhaka University campus.
An HC bench of Justice Kazi Rezaul Haque and Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman issued the suo-moto rule on Thursday afternoon, following reports published on several national dailies.
Secretary for home, inspector general of police, DMP commissioner, Ramna Zone DC, Shahbagh police station OC and Dhaka University vice-chancellor have been made the defendants of the ruling.
The court also asked the IGP and DU VC to submit a probe report with it on May 17.
The assaults took place within less than two months after three-four women were sexually harassed in public near the entrance of Suhrawardy Udyan at TSC intersection during the Amar Ekushey Book Fair.
The Dhaka Tribune published two photos of the youths harassing a girl on February 21 but they could not be identified and brought to the book until now.
After series of protests and outrage in social media since Tuesday, police now say following CCTV footages, they have noticed one incident near the TSC roundabout.
Even though the police acknowledged one incident, witnesses and student leaders alleged that at least seven women came under attacks near TSC and Matsya Bhaban areas on Tuesday afternoon.
The attackers were honking vuvuzelas during the assaults to suppress the victims’ screams, witnesses said adding that they also filmed the incidents with inhuman enthusiasm.
Bangladesh Students’ Union DU unit President Liton Nandi received severe injuries while trying to rescue a woman near the TSC.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
