Bangladesh police, protesters scuffle at anti-rape rally

Protesters have brought out a black flag rally, demanding justice for rapes and other forms of sexual violence.

As they started a march towards the Prime Minister’s Office, the procession was obstructed by the police, which escalated to scuffles between the protesters and law-enforcers.

The police at one point clubbed the protesters.

As part of an anti-rape programme, Chhatra Union leaders and workers began protests under the banner of “People and Students Against Rape and Oppression” and gathered in front of the National Museum at Shahbagh around 12pm.

Writers, poets, artists and women’s rights activists came around to join the protests.

Around 1:15 pm, the rally hoisted a black flag and started march towards the Prime Minister’s Office from the Shahbagh intersection. They were barricaded by the police at the Hotel Intercontinental intersection.

That triggered scuffles between the rally participants and the police who used batons and injured several Chhatra Union members.

The rally then took position at the intersection and continued the demonstration demanding punishment to rapists. They also called for the resignation of Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan.

Protesters demanded death to the culprits and effective steps against oppression from the state, while slogans rang out across the area.

The demonstration lasted half an hour there before the protesters retreated to the Dhaka University TSC area.

Chhatra Union leaders then announced a plan to hold a torchlight march at Shahbagh in the evening where they would burn an effigy of the home minister.

“Police have blocked our peaceful protest and launched attacks on protesters. Five of our activists have been taken to the emergency division of Dhaka Medical College Hospital,” Chhatra Union General Secretary Anik Ray said.

“Instead of arresting the rapists, police have attacked demonstrators. To protest this, we will lead a torchlight march at Shahbagh in the evening and burn an effigy of the home minister.”

Asked about the baton charge, Sajjadur Rahman, deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said: “Police set up barricades at Shahbagh’s Sakura Point to prevent unrest on the streets. The protesters broke the locks on the barricades and pushed forward towards police. This led to the clashes between the two sides.”

Police did not instigate the clashes, he said.

“They were the ones who came towards us. Police defended themselves.”

Police sent two officers to visit the injured protesters, Rahman said. Senior officers in the force will be consulted, if necessary, to arrange for their treatment, he said.

Sazzad Hossain Shuvo, the organising secretary of the Mohammadpur unit of the Students’ Union, suffered a broken arm in the “police attack” on the procession, said Shakhawat Fahad, the organisation’s Dhaka University unit president.

The other injured activists included Irfan Khan Prince, Emon Shikdar, ‘Arnab’, Asmani Asha, Mahmuda Dipa, Tahmid Tazoar Shuvra, and Russell Rahman, he said.

The injured were receiving treatment at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Fahad added.