Teachers, senate members demand exemplary punishment after rape on JU campus

Students and teachers of Jahangirnagar University continued their protests for the fourth consecutive day, demanding exemplary punishment for those involved in the case filed over the rape of a 19-year-old woman on campus last Saturday.

JU Teachers' Association held a human chain at the university's Shaheed Minar premises at around 12pm on Wednesday (7 February).

Speakers at the programme demanded capital punishment for the perpetrators involved in the reported gang rape.

They also demand the elimination of the Gono Room (a common room where a large number of students live) culture, terming it "the den of all crimes".

Addressing the human chain, Prof Hasibur Rahman of JU's Microbiology department said, "Provosts have to ensure every student's seat and establish the rule of law in the university."

Professor Parveen Jolly of the history department said the teachers' organisation should take the initiative in ensuring that such incidents do not occur again.

"If the provost and proctor are involved in this, they should be brought to justice. We must remain vigilant until all those engaged in this horrible crime are brought to justice," she said.

Meanwhile, Sultana Akhtar, associate professor of history, said, "The Gono Room culture is responsible for such a shameful incident inside the university."

"Some perpetrators have degraded our university's reputation," said the president of JU teachers' association, Prof Md Motaher Hossain.

"I commend law enforcement and the government for taking action against the accused; the university administration has acted quickly. The culprits who are tarnishing the image of the university must be brought to justice," he added.

In a separate human chain programme inside the university, former JU vice-chancellor and senate member Prof Sharif Enamul Kabir said, "We came here today to strongly protest against the rape incident. We want those who perpetrated this horrific atrocity to be hanged. Those with expired studentships will have to leave the halls. The provosts and wardens must stay on campus."

Meanwhile, Jahangirnagar Cultural Alliance and Nipiron Birothi Moncho organised a protest rally demanding strict action against those involved in the rape incident.  

The police have arrested four, including Jahangirnagar University (JU) Chhatra League Leader Mostafizur Rahman, in connection with the rape of a woman on the university campus.

"The victim's husband filed a case at Ashulia police station naming 6 individuals last night. In the case, Mostafiz and Mamun have been accused of rape. The remaining four have been accused of assault and aiding the accused in escaping. Four have been arrested while two are still at large," said Abdullah Hil Kafi, Dhaka district's additional police super (Crime and Ops and Traffic North division), during a press conference today (4 February).

The arrested are Mostafijur Rahman, Md Sabbir Hasan Sagar, Sagar Siddique and Hasanuzzaman. All of them are JU students, he added.

"The victim has been sent to the One-Stop Crisis Center at Dhaka Medical College Hospital for a medical examination. The four that were arrested have been sent to court with a 7-day remand plea," Abdullah Hil Kafi said.

On 3 February, Mostafizur and Mamun allegedly raped a woman near Mir Mosharraf Hossain Hall while keeping her husband locked in a room of the dormitory.

The victim identified the accused as Mostafizur Rahman, a student of the 45th batch of the university's International Relations Department, and an outsider, Mamun, 45. 

"Mamun rented a room in our house. When my husband visited the JU campus with him yesterday, Mamun told him that he would be staying with Mostafizur at Mir Mosharraf Hossain Hall for a few days," said the victim.

"My husband then called me over the phone and told me to bring some of Mamun's clothes to the campus. When I went there, Mamun took his belongings to the hall. Then they took me to the jungle near Mir Mosharraf Hossain Hall and said my husband would arrive here. Then Mostafizur and Mamun raped me at the place," she added.

Mostafizur, who is now expelled from JU Chhatra League following the rape allegations, was the international affairs secretary of the Awami League (AL) student wing. 

"Mostafiz has been expelled from the JU Chhatra League based on the allegations, with a recommendation from the central body for his permanent expulsion," said Akhtaruzzaman Sohel, president of the JU unit Chhatra League.

JU Proctor ASM Firoz-ul-Hasan said, "We are ready to assist the police in any way they require, including collecting CCTV footage from the hall.