Noted cultural personalities stand against JU gang rape, issue joint statement
As students, teachers, and citizens of the country, particularly at Jahangirnagar University (JU), expressed their anger, staging protests throughout the past week against the rape of a 19-year-old woman on the JU campus last Saturday (February 3), prominent cultural figures have stepped forward to condemn the heinous incident.
In a joint statement, 18 renowned cultural and theatrical personalities, including celebrated actor, elocutionist, and cultural figure Syed Hasan Imam, thespian Ramendu Majumdar, Ferdousi Mazumder, Mamunur Rashid, and theatre personality Nasiruddin Yousuff, have voiced their outrage and firm stance against the incident at JU.
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The statement reads, "We are shocked and outraged by this heinous crime. Similar incidents have occurred on the premises of Jahangirnagar University before, yet no investigations or accountability measures have been taken. The university authorities have failed to take effective steps to ensure security and discipline on this vast campus."
"In an environment of laxity, some unruly students have come to believe that they can commit such inhumane acts with impunity. The political affiliations attributed to these assailant students in the media have raised our concerns. Students are the future leaders responsible for the governance of the country and society. If such moral degradation persists among these students without consequences, our country is in deep trouble," the statement continues.
"We express our profound resentment against this brutal crime and demand swift investigation and justice from the government. We also urge the authorities of Jahangirnagar University to take decisive measures and a strong stance to ensure the safety of students and the educational environment. We hope that no woman in Bangladesh will ever be subjected to such violence."
Other signatories to the statement include Anupam Sen, Sarwar Ali, Abed Khan, Mofidul Haque, Muntasir Mamun, Shahriar Kabir, Keramat Molla, Milon Kanti De, Lucky Inam, Sara Jaker, Shimul Yusuf, Golam Kuddus, and Ahkam Ullah.
At least four members of the JU Chhatra League are amongst those suspected of raping a 19-year-old woman while confining her husband to a dorm room at the JU Campus.
The husband of the rape survivor has filed a case under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act against six people with Ashulia Police Station, on charges of rape and abetting rape, Abdullahil Kafi, additional superintendent of Police, Dhaka District, told The Daily Star.
On the same day, four of the accused, including BCL leader and prime accused Mostafizur Rahman, 28, were arrested and subsequently placed on a three-day remand. Another key accused, Mamunur Rashid Mamun, 44, an outsider and acquaintance of Mostafizur, and abettor Murad Hossain, 22, a JU student, are still at large.
Following the incident, the university suspended six students, including Mostafizur, JU BCL's international affairs secretary; Shah Poran, one of its vice presidents; Murad, an assistant secretary; and Sabbir Hasan, an executive member.
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