The survivors of sexual assault during the Pahela Baishaikh celebration on the Dhaka University Campus nine years ago still wait for justice as the case against a lone accused over the sexual assault remains pending with a women and children repression prevention tribunal in the capital.
Dhaka Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal 8 judge Md Showkat Ali on January 31 deferred delivering judgement of the case responding to a prayer of the prosecution.
The prosecution told the tribunal that it wanted to produce some vital witnesses who were not among the nine people testified so far.
A total of 34 witnesses, including the then DU unit Chhatra Union leader Liton Nandi, were named as the prosecution witnesses in the case.
The Police Bureau of Investigation in December 2016 pressed sexual harassment charge against Md Kamal, a vegetable vendor from Lalbagh, for the sexual assault on several young women who were visiting the campus to celebrate Bangla new year on April 14, 2015.
The tribunal on June 19, 2017 framed the charge against Kamal.
Kamal’s lawyer Anisur Rahman said that none of the nine witnesses specifically mentioned his client in perpetrating the assault.
Kamal, who is a diabetic patient, came to the Suhrawardy Udyan on that day for walking, said his lawyer.  Â
A supplementary charge sheet would be submitted to the court if identities of the seven accused are found, said PIB inspector and case investigation officer M Abdur Razzaq in the charge sheet.
On December 9, 2015, the Detective Branch of police filed the final report to the court stating that no one could be identified in the crime.
On February 23, 2016, the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal 3 rejected the DB final report and ordered further investigation into the case filed by the Shahbagh police against some unidentified people on the charges of sexual assault on women.
Later, the Police Bureau of Investigation was assigned to probe the case.
Kamal, resident of Khadi Dewan first lane, Chawakbazar in the capital, was arrested on March 3, 2016, and was later freed on bail.
The sexual assault on Pahela Baishakh celebrators triggered countrywide protests after video footage which appeared on the Facebook showed that a plainclothes policeman, identified as Saidul Haq Bhuiyan, nabbed one of the perpetrators on the spot and later freed him about 7:06pm.
On April 16, 2015 the High Court issued a suo motu rule asking the government, the police and the Dhaka University authorities to report in 30 days what action was taken against the perpetrators.
On May 19, 2015, the High Court asked the inspector general of police to take prompt action against eight people identified by the police through video footage for molesting the festival participants.
