A single poster reading '#BE_A_REAL_MAN, #STOP_RAPE' draws a thousand eyes

You can take a cue from Afsana's innovative way of registering protest against rape: stand on a busy footbridge with a poster hung on the chest.

The poster read "Only a man can stop a probable rape tomorrow; Stop rape; #BE_A_REAL_MAN, #STOP_RAPE".

ধর্ষণের বিরুদ্ধে একাই দাঁড়ালেন আফসানা লোচন

Two words in the poster, 'man' and 'rape' are written in large red fonts to indicate who are the rapists. Her sharp eyes with a little wrinkle of disgust along the eyebrows betrayed the hatred towards the perpetrators of violence against women.

Afsana Kishwar Lochan took time off her work at the private bank to launch this unique protest on Monday morning on Rajalakshmi-Azampur footbridge in the capital's Uttara.

"Rape and torture of women are rampant in our society nowadays. I thought I have to do something. We often go to Shahbagh. It takes time to organise a protest. So, I decided to do it this way," the mother of a six-year-old girl said, speaking to bdnews24.com.

"I want to create awareness against rape, inspire others to protest," she said. "I was afraid about how the people would react if I stand alone. I thought some people might be abusive, but some would encourage."

"Some people stopped momentarily and read the poster while some other advised me to get others on board to launch a protest," she continued.

Asked whether she had any problem as a lone protester, Afsana said," No, I did not have any problem. My message is simple - you have to do your job; protest from whatever position you are in."