DUTA gives 7-day ultimatum, NHRC seeks apology to womenDU Correspondent
A good number of teachers and students from different educational institutions, socio-cultural and political organizations on Monday protested the sexual harassment on TSC premises of Dhaka University and gave a seven-day ultimatum to the authorities concerned for taking punitive action against the offenders.
They placed the demands from separate human chains formed at various points on the campus.
Bangladesh Chhatra Union formed an hour-long human chain, stretched from Oporajeyo Bangla to Curzon Hall around 11:00am where teachers and students from different institutions including DU and members of different political and cultural organisations took part.
Meanwhile, DU Teachers' Association (DUTA) also formed a human chain at the altar of Oparajeyo Bangla around 11:30am on the same issue.
Announcing a 7-day ultimatum, DUTA President Prof Farid Uddin Ahmed urged the DU authorities and police forces to identify the culprits by analyzing the CCTV footages.
Speakers at the Chhatra Union's human chain demanded removal of the DU Proctor for 'failure to ensure security of the ill-fated women' during Pahela Baishakh celebrations.
They also termed him a "liar" for giving birth to fabricated news in the media in this regard. The Union will go for tougher movement if the Proctor is not removed from his post and stalkers are not booked by today, they said.
Different students' and cultural organisations including National Girl Child Advocacy Forum, Udichi Shilpi Goshthi and Youth and Hunger Bangladesh also joined the programme.
Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) also demanded trial of the perpetrators involved in assaulting women on DU campus.
"The Commission is shocked and ashamed of what happened on Pahela Baishakh. We seek apology to all women. Those involved in the incident are to be considered ugly and with perverted mentality," NHRC Chairman Dr Mizanur Rahman said expressing his anger and dismay over the issue at a press conference at his office.