Rights organisations on Sunday slammed Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Sheikh Md Sazzat Ali for his suggestion that the media should use the phrase 鈥榬epression of women鈥� instead of the word 鈥榬ape鈥� while reporting rape incidents.
Addressing a human chain at Manik Miah avenue on Sunday with the call to 鈥楨liminate rape, violence against women and children鈥�, Transparency International Bangladesh executive聽 director Iftekharuzzaman condemned the remarks by the high-ranking police officer.聽
鈥楾hrough this, the DMP commissioner has sided with the rapists and engaged himself in devising ways to protect the rapists that is unacceptable. His comments must be retracted immediately. I urge the media to reject such reprehensible remarks from the police and to thoroughly report on incidents of rape and violence against women,鈥� said Iftekharuzzaman, adding that reporting rapes and other forms of violence against women and children was vital to combating these heinous crimes.
鈥楥rime is crime, and there should be no attempt to cover it up, as doing so reflects an 鈥渙strich syndrome鈥�. Additionally, the police鈥檚 excessive use of force and lack of tolerance in the anti-rape protests reflect authoritarian practices. The police must refrain from such actions,鈥� he stated.
The Chief Adviser鈥檚 Office in a statement on Sunday also strongly condemned the remarks of the DMP commissioner asking the media to avoid using the term 鈥榬ape鈥�.
鈥楻ape is rape, whether committed against an 8-year-old or an 80-year-old. Such a heinous crime must be called by its rightful name. The interim government will not tolerate any form of violence against any citizen of Bangladesh,鈥� said the statement shared by CA press wing.
In a joint press briefing at the Dhaka Reporters Unity,聽 representatives of Save the Children, Plan International Bangladesh, Manusher Jonno Foundation, Ain O Salish Kendra and Breaking the Silence said that the incidents of 鈥榬ape鈥� must be called 鈥榬ape鈥�.
Save the Children International director for Child Protection and Child Rights Governance Abdulla Al Mamun, Manusher Jonno Foundation executive director Shaheen Anam, and TIB executive director Iftekharuzzman, among others, spoke at the briefing.
Speakers said that the DMP commissioner鈥檚 remarks was deplorable and must be withdrawn since violence against women or repression against women is a broad umbrella and rape is a particular crime of violence perpetrated against women and children.聽
鈥業 dislike two words very much, one of which is rape,鈥� DMP commissioner Sheikh Sajjat Ali said while addressing the launching event of an app-based service called 鈥楬ELP鈥欌�擧arassment Elimination Literacy Programme鈥攐n Saturday to enhance women鈥檚 safety on public transport.
鈥業 request you not to use it, say instead 鈥渞epression of women鈥�,鈥� he said.聽
鈥極ur law also says repression of women and children,鈥� he added.
