SEXUAL HARASSMENT

The inspector general of police, AKM Shahidul Haque, on Sunday retreated from his previous remarks that the sexual assault on women during Bangla New Year celebrations and announced a bounty for capturing the perpetrators.The police chief at a briefing said that they identified eight youths engaged in sexual assaults during the celebrations on April 14 and announced a bounty of Tk 1 lakh for capturing each of them.On April 14, a number of young men sexually assaulted about 20 women at Suhrawardy Udyan gate near the Teacher-Student Centre of Dhaka University during the Pahela Baishakh celebrations.The incident has sparked public outrages and since then, students and people from all walks of life have been demanding that the perpetrators be brought to book.On May 10, at least 21 protestors, including two women, were injured after police charged baton and used water cannon on a peaceful march towards Dhaka Metropolitan Police headquarters demanding the arrest of the perpetrators.The police assaulted a female protester, Ismat Ara, which also drew widespread condemnation.On May 12, the inspector general of police termed the sexual assault as ‘naughtiness’ of ‘three to four boys,’ prompting fresh criticism.Amid widespread protests, Shahidul on Sunday came up with the announcement and said the youths were identified by footage of closed circuit television camera installed for security.The police also released photos of the eight suspects they identified.‘We have been able to recognise eight people by face, but we do not know their names or whereabouts,’ the police chief said.

Initially the police denied the allegation of their negligence.The police probe committee formed to investigate the police role during the incident, however, found the negligence of three policemen in preventing the sexual assault.Shahidul said that Bangladesh Nationalist Party joint secretary general Salah Uddin Ahmed would be brought back home after the resolution of the case filed by the Indian police in Shillong.‘He [Salahuddin] will be brought back under Bangladesh-India prisoner exchange agreement after the resolution of the case filed against the BNP leader for intruding into India,’ he said.He also said that drive against unregistered motorcycles would be conducted across the country from June 3.Shahidul said a large number of motorcycles have been plying the streets across the country without registration. The owners have been given fifteen days from today to register their motorcycles.

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