Protests continued in the capital Dhaka, Chattogram, the Chittagong Hill Tracts, and Rajshahi on Friday over the alleged rape of a 14-year-old girl from the Tripura community in Khagrachari.
Protesters demanded exemplary punishment to the perpetrators and security of the victim, who is admitted at Chattogram Medical Colelge Hospital.
Kripayan Tripura, a student representative from Khagrachari, who was with the victim at the hospital, told 抖阴精品 on Friday night that victim鈥檚 condition was critical.聽聽聽聽
The girl had been staying at her relative鈥檚 Bhaibonchhara house in Khagrachari after attending a fair on the night of June 27 when six men allegedly broke into the house, tied up the relative and raped her.
She initially did not tell anyone about the incident out of fear. The incident came to light after she attempted suicide by ingesting poison on July 12.
At least six student organisations from different national minority communities on Friday organised protest rally at Dhaka University, demanding justice for the rape and also condemned the custodial death of Vanlal Rual Bawm.
The organisations holding the rally was Bangladesh Adivasi Chhatra Sangram Parishad, Dhaka University Jumma Students Family, Hill Women鈥檚 Federation, Bangladesh Marma Students鈥� Council, Tripura Student鈥檚 Forum and Parbatya Chattogram Jana Samhati Samiti-backed student body Pahari Chhatra Parishad.
PCJSS central committee member Dipayan Khisa said that the incidents of rape continued to occur in the CHT and elsewhere in the country due to an existing culture of impunity.
鈥楾he home adviser has to take responsibility of the incidents of rape and three innocent Bawm men鈥檚 custodial death,鈥� he said.
Bangladesh Adivasi Forum member Falguni Tripura said that the state was silent in the Tripura girl鈥檚 rape incident.
On the contrary, those who protested were baton charged, she said.
Falguni also demanded the release of innocent Bawm civilians.
Meanwhile, United People鈥檚 Democratic Front-backed organisations Greater Parbatya Chattogram Pahari Chhatra Parishad, Hill Women鈥檚 Federation and Gonotantrik Juba Forum also held a protest rally in front of the National Museum in the capital, pressing for the same demands.
Speakers at the rally said that the national minorities of the CHT hoped that 鈥榬egime of exploitation and oppression鈥� in the region would end after the regime change.
But they saw 鈥榥o reflection of that hope,鈥� they said.
In Rangamati, PCJSS-backed PCP and Hill Women鈥檚 Federation held a protest march and rally on the day to protest the rape.
The protest started at Rangamati Kumar Sumit Roy Gymnasium, proceeded past the Deputy Commissioner鈥檚 office, and looped back to its starting point, where a rally was held on the road in front of the gymnasium.
Speakers at the event demanded stern punishment for all the perpetrators of the rape.
抖阴精品 correspondent in Khagrachari reported that national minority students continued their protest for the second consecutive day on Friday demanding exemplary punishment for the perpetrators.
Protesters alleged that the rapists were local leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
Denying the allegations, Khagrachari BNP general secretary MN Absar said that the accused were not involved with the party or its affiliates.
In Bandarban, a protest march and rally were held in the district鈥檚 Rajar Math area, condemning the rape.
抖阴精品 staff correspondent in Rajshahi reported that students from the CHT national minority communities of Rajshahi University and Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology demanded exemplary punishment of the perpetrators and safety of the hill people.
抖阴精品 staff correspondent in Chattogram reported that PCJSS-backed PCP and Adivasi Mahila Forum staged a protest on Chattogram University campus, demanding justice for the rape victim.
Earlier, the police on Wednesday arrested four men in connection with the rape, shortly after the victim鈥檚 father filed a case against six named individuals with the Sadar police.
