Dhaka University students, peeved by the murder of Sohagi Jahan Tonu, have stayed away from their classrooms to turn up the heat on the government.
Classes were not held in most departments on Sunday due to a strike called by student protesters after police failed to arrest any suspect.
The boycott, however, did not apply to examinations, which continued as planned.
“Everyone has showed their solidarity for the protest called by students,” said acting Proctor Prof Amzad Ali. “Classes could not be held because students did not show up.
“I heard the business faculty took a few classes.”
Farhan Shahriar Pulok, a coordinator for the student platform that called the strike, said, “We spoke to the management students who were in class and they soon walked out.”
Leftist student organisations joined in the protest alongside a group of teachers who joined in Curzon Hall area.
Students formed human chains on campus to demand immediate arrest of those behind the murder and possible rape of the Victoria Government College student.
The discovery of Tonu’s body within several yards of her home at Comilla Cantonment on Mar 20 has caused intense public outrage about security.
“We joined the protests after sitting a morning exam,” said Kaisha Tashrin, a biochemistry student, speaking to to bdnews24.com.
“Fisheries student had one or two classes but no-one else went in for classes today. Our teachers are also with us.”
“I feel terrified when I read about rape in the newspapers. The descriptions of murders are just unbearable,” said Nur Sadia, a student who was taking part in a protest gathering at Doel Chattar.
“It took 14 years to judge a case for the rape of a child named Priyanka, and they’re trying to cover up Tonu’s case. We’re worried that her killers may never served justice.”
Zeba Islam Seraj, a biochemistry teacher, also spoke of her fears while addressing the gathering.
“I’m a teacher. I’ve students and a daughter too. Are they really safe in the environment we provide?
“Does it make sense that women here are so insecure when our prime minister is considered one of the most powerful leaders in the world?”
A group of activists from anti-war criminal platform, Ganajagaran Mancha, showed solidarity with the protests.
“We’ve seen situations where authorities provide a type of indemnity. We’re seeing this in Tonu’s case too. There’s no noticeable progress, except in covering up maybe,” its spokesperson Imran H Sarkar said.
“But whoever is behind the crime, the State or a particular security agency is not fully responsible. A crime of this nature will not be repeated if the actual culprits are caught and punished.”
Source: bdnews24
