Activists and leaders from different women's rights organisations on Sunday protested against frequent torture and harassment, often sexual, by members of Bangladesh Chhatra League, the ruling party's student front.
The protest was held in front of the National Museum at Shahbagh around 4.45 pm, and joined by the activists and leaders of different left leaning organisations too.
The participants demanded justice for previous incidents perpetrated by BCL activists and leaders and also called on women to stand boldly against all forms of harassment.
They demanded to form anti-female harassment cells in every campus centrally and at department level, to not restrict the movement of female students on campuses and not to fix the time for returning to halls for the female students at night.
Mentioning the recent incidents at Islamic University, Badrunnessa Govt. Women college, Eden Mohila College and other universities, Biplobi Chhatra Federation president Mitu Sarkar, said, "The incidents of abusing women in the educational institutions especially in the public universities by Chhatra League has become a common thing. They are not only abusing girls verbally but also abusing them physically and sexually."
"Female students are even being abused by female leaders and activists of BCL in the campuses," she added.
General secretary of Biplobi Nari Forum, Amina Khatun said, "Today we are standing here to gain our rights. The name Chhatra League has turned synonymous with rape and abuse. I have two daughters, I'm worried about their safety."
"Our prime minister is a woman. In spite of having a woman prime minister, we are not safe under her leadership. Our demand to prime minister is that she take measures to prevent sexual abuse of females and ensure our safety by expelling the criminals from the organisation, " Amina furthermore said.
Jannatul <awa from Bangladesh Sammobadi Andolon, lawyer Sadia Ahmed, and students from different universities also joined the protest.
They also protested BCL harassment through songs, poems and displaying news articles about rape, harassment and sexual abuse.