Students of Bangladesh University of Professionals, Jahangirnagar University and Bangladesh Maritime University in Gazipur staged demonstrations on Sunday, demanding exemplary punishment of the perpetrators of the gang rape of a BUP student.
BUP students began gathering in Dhaka鈥檚 Mirpur area around 10:30am before marching towards Mirpur 12, where the police estimated about 2,500 students joined the protest.
The demonstration brought traffic to a standstill, causing severe congestion on surrounding routes.
Carrying placards and chanting slogans, the protesters condemned what they described as a growing culture of impunity and a nationwide surge of violence against women.
Some demonstrators threw shoes at photographs of the alleged perpetrators as a symbolic act of protest.
鈥極ur fellow student鈥檚 brutal experience is an insult to humanity,鈥� said Musfika Zaman, a protesting student.
鈥榃e demand that the culprits be arrested immediately and handed the harshest punishment possible.鈥�
Additional police personnel were deployed to prevent clashes and reroute traffic.
鈥榃e have requested students to remain peaceful,鈥� said Savar Model Police officer-in-charge Mohammad Jewel Miah.
At Jahangirnagar University, students under the banner 鈥楯ahangirnagar Against Oppression鈥� also demonstrated on the campus around 2:00pm, decrying what they said was a deteriorating law and order situation.
鈥楴o government took strict measures to stop rape, and that is why perpetrators dare to commit such crimes repeatedly,鈥� said protesting student Mayisha Moni at a brief rally near the university鈥檚 Bottola area.
Later in the day, 鈥楪eneral Students of Jahangirnagar University鈥� brought out another procession followed up by a rally at the Central Shaheed Minar on the campus where JU Central Student Union leaders and faculty members spoke.
鈥楾he established culture of impunity fuels such crimes,鈥� JUCSU general secretary Mazharul Islam said.
Students of Bangladesh Maritime University in Gazipur also formed a human chain in front of the university鈥檚 Meghna Bhaban around 11:30am, demanding the arrest and capital punishment of the perpetrators.
Earlier in the day, the police arrested one suspect, Mithu Biswas, 35, from Tejkunipara in Dhaka鈥檚 Tejgaon area in connection with the rape.
Mithu, son of Debendra Biswas of Kamalapur Goailpara in Savar, is accused of assisting the prime suspect, Sohel Rosario, 37.
Another accomplice, Biplob Rosario, 40, remains at large.
According to the case statement, the 25-year-old survivor, a BUP student, was attacked while returning home after tutoring on Tuesday evening.
Sohel allegedly forced her into his home and raped her, with Mithu and Biplob assisting in the assault.
The survivor鈥檚 father later filed a case with the Savar Model Police naming the three men as accused.
The police said that raids continued to locate and arrest the remaining suspects.
