Protests against rape sparked again in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country as the eight-year-old rape victim died at Combined Military Hospital in the capital on Thursday.
The victim died as she suffered cardiac arrest at about 1:00pm on Thursday when the countrywide protests against rape and violence against women rolled for the seventh consecutive day.
Gayebana janazas for the victim were held on the campuses of Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University, and Jagannath University where protesters also brought out torch processions demanding justice for her and ensuring exemplary punishment of rapists.
Protesters also staged demonstrations at different places including Dhaka, Magura, Rajshahi, Chattogram, Khulna and several other places, reports received from the districts said.
鈥楾he child suffered cardiac arrest three times on Thursday. The heartbeat could not be restored during the third time,鈥� said a press release of the Inter Services Public Relation Directorate.
The ISPR said that the girl was admitted to the CMH on March 8 in critical condition.
A mob set fire to the alleged rapist鈥檚 house in Magura town at about 8:00pm on Thursday, hours after the child鈥檚 body was taken to the district from Dhaka, said Mina Mahmuda, the superintendent of police in Magura.
鈥楴o casualties were reported so far and no one was injured. We are going to the spot and will be able to give appropriate information later,鈥� she told 抖阴精品 at about 9:00pm.
The body of the victim was taken to Magura by an Army helicopter and the body reached at about 6:30pm at Nomani playground in the district town where hundreds of people thronged, 抖阴精品 correspondent in Magura reported.
The first namaz-e-janaza was held at the playground after maghrib prayers and she was buried at Sonaikundi village following her second namaz-e-janaza at Jajira village under Sreepur upazila.
Chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus in a statement on Thursday expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of the victim, said a release issued by the CA press wing.
It said that the chief adviser ordered to bring the perpetrators to justice immediately.
Addressing a press conference at the secretariat, law adviser Asif Nazrul said that the trial in Magura rape case would start within seven days.
Different socio-political organisations including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, the National Citizen Party, the Socialist Party of Bangladesh and the Islami Andolan Bangladesh expressed deep shock at the death of the minor girl.
Expressing deep sorrow over the death, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir demanded exemplary punishment for the 鈥榤onsters鈥� for raping and killing the little girl.
鈥楢n innocent child was subjected to the cruelty of a few monsters in Magura,鈥� United News of Bangladesh quoted Fakhrul as saying.
The widespread protests sparked following the rape incident that took place on March 6 while the child was visiting her sister鈥檚 in-laws鈥� house in Magura.
A Magura court at the night following March 10 placed the main accused in the rape case on a seven-day remand and three others on a five-day remand.
The prime accused is Hitu Sheikh, 50, the father-in-law of the victim鈥檚 elder sister, while the other accused are Hitu鈥檚 wife Zayeda Khatun, and their two sons Sajib Sheikh and Ratul Sheikh of village Nijnanduali in Magura Sadar upazila.
On Thursday evening, students and people brought out a torch procession on the DU campus demanding justice over police attacks on nationwide democratic movements, including the anti-rape and anti-repression protests, and the withdrawal of false cases.
The procession began at about 7:00pm from the base of the Anti-Terrorism Raju Memorial Sculpture, and marched through Nilkhet, Hall Para and Madhu鈥檚 Canteen before concluding in front of the Teacher-Student Centre of DU, 抖阴精品 correspondent in DU reported. 聽
During the procession, protesters chanted slogans like 鈥渟top murderers and rapists, rise up Bangladesh!鈥�, 鈥楾he administration must answer why she died?鈥� and 鈥楯ahangir must resign immediately鈥�.
The Dharshan Birodhi Mancha also held a Gayebana Janaza at the VC Chattar on the DU campus at about 7.30pm.
Following the prayers, the students brought out a procession that ended in a brief rally at the Raju Memorial Sculpture on the campus.
In Dhaka, students under the banner of Dharshan o Nipiraner Biruddhe Bangladesh held a press conference demanding the withdrawal of the case filed against them over Tuesday鈥檚 clash with police in front of the InterContinental Hotel in Dhaka while they were marching towards the chief adviser鈥檚 official residence Jamuna.
While reading out a written statement at a press conference at the Central Shaheed Minar, Eden College student Skya Islam alleged that a group of people negatively campaigned against the protesters spreading one-sided photographs and videos on social media to create controversy against the movement against rape and violence against women.
She added that police filed the case naming 12 people, almost all left student leaders, and 70 to 80 unnamed persons including injured protesters and a journalist over the 鈥榓ttack on police鈥�.
鈥榃e are surprised to see the names of some persons who were not present during the demonstration. Police have filed the case in a wholesale basis abusing their power,鈥� said Skya
The students demanded the punishment of police personnel and the removal of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police鈥檚 Ramna Zone assistant commissioner Abdullah Al Mamun for using excessive force on the protesters and the removal of home adviser for his failure to provide security to the people, particularly the women.
Democratic Students鈥� Council, Bangladesh Youth Federation, Nari Samhati and Bangladesh Students鈥� Union in separate statements on Thursday protested against the police case and demanded immediate withdrawal of the case.
Nari Odhikar Andalan at a human chain in front of the National Press Club in the capital raised three demands including the implementation of existing laws, speedy trial and exemplary punishment for culprits and the formation of special tribunals to stop violence against women and girls.
Students of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College, Bashundhara formed a human chain in front of their campus and brought out a procession from the campus to Jamuna Future Park protesting against rape and violence against women.
Dhorshon o Nipironer Biruddhe Bangladesh held a Gayebana Janaza of the eight-year-old rape victim at the Central Shaheed Minar. Inquilab Mancha also held a gayebana janaza in front of the Bangladesh National Museum in the capital.
抖阴精品 Staff Correspondent in Rajshahi reported that students of different educational institutions held a rally at Alupotti in Rajshahi city and brought out a torch procession from there and marched different roads of the city demanding capital punishment for the rapists, including the culprits involved in the rape and murder of the eight-year-old girl in Magura.
抖阴精品 correspondent in Chattogram reported that Islami Chhatra Andolan formed a human chain in front of the Government College of Commerce in the port city urging the government to ensure capital punishment for the rapists and murderers of the Magura victim.
