Protesters raise nine demands at anti-rape rally in Shahbagh

The leftist student groups have raised a nine-point charter of demand, including the resignation of Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, at a rally in Dhaka’s Shahbagh against a streak of rape and sexual violence against women.

The protesters also demand concrete efforts to ensure exemplary punishment of the rapists.

They gathered outside the National Museum on Friday afternoon under the banner of “Bangladesh Against Rape and Torture”.

The demands are:

# Exemplary punishment of those involved in continuous incidents of rapes and violence against women across Bangladesh. The home minister must resign for his “failure” to stop rape and torture of women.

# Sexual and social violence against women of ethnic minorities in the hilly areas and other parts of the country by the military and civilians must stop.

# All government and private offices, and educational institutions must constitute cells to prevent sexual harassment of women following High Court orders. The government must implement the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women or CEDAW fully. It must also abolish the laws and practice that grow inequality toward women.

# Speeches against women in programmes, including religious ones, must be declared a punishable offence. Women cannot be presented as a product in literature, drama, cinema and advertisements. BTCL must play an effective role in controlling pornography. The government will have to sponsor healthy cultural practices.

# Mental harassment of victims during investigations must stop. Their legal and social security must be ensured.

# Crime and gender experts must be included in Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunals. More tribunals must be formed for quick disposal of cases.

# Section 155 (4) of Evidence Act of 1872 that involves impeaching credit of witness must be abolished. The DNA Act must be made effective for recognition of evidence to prove charges.

# Articles, essays, chapters, images, instructions and choice of word that are defamatory or based on inequality towards women must be avoided in textbooks.

# The efforts to conceal rape incidents through arbitration must be declared punishable offence.

“We will raise a mass cultural awareness against rape across the country. We will eliminate rape from the country,” Prince said.

Anik Roy, general secretary of Students’ Union, said they will launch a march towards Noakhali’s Begumganj, where a woman was assaulted recently, if their demands are not met within Oct 16.

Until then, the protesters will stage sit-in outside the museum at 4pm.

They will also organise an anti-rape photography exhibition on Oct 11, a cultural event on Oct 12, a film festival on Oct 13, a women’s rally on Oct 14, and a cycle rally on Oct 15.

Artistes from Bangladesh Udichi Shilpigosthi performed at the beginning of the rally.