Sexual harassment: Demo at RU postponed on VC’s assurance

Rajshahi University students, who were protesting the sexual harassment of a fellow student at a hall provost’s house, postponed their demonstration till Sunday following an assurance from the vice chancellor.

The students have been demanding resignation of Dr Bithika Banik, the provost of Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Hall, as the victim alleged that she was sexually harassed by her brother Shyamol Banik at her residence.  

The protest programme was postponed after VC Prof Abdus Sobhan visited the demonstrators around 1:30pm in front of administration building and assured them that Dr Bithika will be removed from her administrative post within Sunday.

Earlier, the demonstrators gave a two-hour ultimatum to the administration of the university for the removal of Dr Bithika as provost.

Protesters gather in front of Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Hall after parading the RU campus on Thursday, September 26, 2019. Photo: Arafat Rahman

Around 11:00am, several hundred demonstrators brought out a procession from in front of the Central Library and later they took position in front of Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Hall after parading the campus.

Locking down the provost’s office inside the hall, some resident students joined the demonstration bringing several allegations against her.

Around 12:15 pm, the agitators moved towards the administration building and were seen chanting slogan against the incident till filing of this regard around noon.

Proctor expresses solidarity

RU Proctor Prof Lutfor Rahman also visited the protesters in front of the administration building and expressed solidarity with the movement, reports RU correspondent.

The proctor also assured them that the authorities will take immediate action against the hall provost in question.

Case statement

The first-year female student of Department of English was allegedly sexually abused when she went to the provost and Sanskrit department teacher Dr Bithika Banik’s house for tutoring the latter’s seven grader daughter at the city’s Dharampur area early yesterday, according to the case statement.

In the case statement, the students, also a resident of Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Hall at RU, alleged that Shyamol swooped on her and sexually abused her while she was asleep at Dr Bithika’s house.