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Women Protesting on Street, by Nahmad Hassan via Pexels, 2022.
University students and academics across Bangladesh took to the streets demanding rapid investigations and the strict execution of rape perpetrators across the country. The protests erupted following the rape of an 8-year-old girl who was vising her sister’s house in Magura.
Protests erupted in the streets of Dhaka at midnight on March 9th led by the students from different university halls. Students rallied, demanding fast investigations and harsh punishments for the perpetrators involved in a rape of an 8-year-old girl who was vising her sister-in-law in Magura. According to the reports, the victim was sexually assaulted and brutally tortured by the father of her sister-in-law while she was sleeping alone. Child was transferred to Dhaka Medical Center Hospital and still remains in critical conditions.
At 12:40 AM on Sunday, students joining the sit-in expressed anger and demanded the resignation of Bangladesh’s advisor for home affairs, Jahangir Alam Chowdnury, due to his failure to take accountability for the rising incidents of sexual violence across the country. Protesters also called for an establishment of a special tribunal to investigate the rape incidents within a month and gave 24 hours ultimatum to the government to execute the perpetrator responsible for the rape of the 8-year-old girl (Mahathir, 2025).
Today, students and academics from different universities continue to join rallies across Bangladesh with anti-rape slogans and chants demanding justice for the rape victims and stricter punishments for violence against women. The female-led anti-rape platform has escalated in demonstrations, with people blocking highways, forming human-chains and increasingly pressuring the government to take legal actions.
Sources and Further Readings:
Magura child rape: Victim in critical condition, doctors confirm signs of “brutal torture.” (2025, March 8). The Business Standard. <https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/magura-child-rape-victim-critical-condition-signs-brutal-torture-1087376> Accessed on March 9 2025
Mahathir, M. (2025, March 9). Magura Rape: DU students form anti-rape platform, demand special tribunal. Dhaka Tribute. <https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/dhaka/375792/magura-rape-du-students-form-anti-rape-platform> Accessed on March 9 2025
Nationwide protests at universities over rape incidents. (2025, March 9). Bangladesh First. <https://bfirst.news/bangladesh/17443/nationwide-protests-at-universities-over-rape-incidents> Accessed on March 9 2025
Protests erupt at DU demanding justice for Magura rape victim. (2025, March 9). The Daily Observer. <https://www.observerbd.com/news/515740> Accessed on March 9 2025
Teachers, students protest against sexual violence across country. (2025, March 9). Prothomalo. <https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/wx9lokqjq8> Accessed on March 9 2025
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