Can JU avoid responsibility for rape on the campus?

We are extremely disturbed by the news of the alleged rape of a young woman at a leading public university like Jahangirnagar University. According to our report, six former and current students of the university—four of them leaders and members of Bangladesh Chhatra League's JU wing—were involved in the crime on Saturday night. Four of the accused have already been arrested and placed on remand, while two others, including a prime accused, are on the run.

The heinous act has sparked widespread outrage, as it should. Students and teachers alike have staged protests, demanding exemplary punishment for the perpetrators as well as full support for the victim. A teacher has rightly pointed out that the university authorities must take responsibility for incidents like this on the campus. A student expressed how their roommates were terrified by what happened. We find their fear and fury completely justified, and support their demands wholeheartedly.

To their credit, the JU syndicate has suspended the current students and withheld the certificates of all accused. As of Sunday, they also decided to file a case against all, and formed a probe committee as well. The JU BCL, too, staged a protest against the incident, while its international affairs secretary, one of the prime accused, was expelled.

We appreciate these prompt actions but remain concerned as to whether they will become token gestures. Time and again, BCL members have been found involved in rape, extortion, bullying, mugging and other crimes on university campuses. Connection to power and a certain degree of impunity have turned some BCL members unruly, who often got away with anything under the protection of party power. This mindset is dangerous and must be addressed. If the ruling party wants to fulfil its pledge of ensuring law and order in the country, it must discipline its student political activists first. We hope the ruling party will take some effective measures in this regard. We also urge the relevant authorities to ensure that the victim of Saturday's rape gets justice without delay.