Shipping minister withdraws comment on sexual harassment on Pahela Baishakh

The shipping minister Shajahan Khan on Wednesday, through a press release issued from the ministry, withdrew his comment on the harassment of women during the last Pahela Baishakh celebrations.
He also regretted making the comment that drew widespread criticism.
The minister on Tuesday at a programme held to mark the International Women’s Day reportedly said the harassment of women during the Pahela Baishakh was a ‘small incident’ and has very little significance in a city where twenty million people live.
He also posed the question to the media on how important the incident was.
The release said the minister’s comment was not being presented in the way he had tried to express it.
He has withdrawn his comment as it has caused confusion among people, it added.
He ‘sincerely apologised’ to those who had taken offence to his comments, it added.
Ain o Salish Kendra on Wednesday protested at the minister’s comment in a press release signed by its executive director Sultana Kamal.
The release said the authorities were yet to identify the people responsible for the attack and bring them to trial.
It said the minister’s comment could put a negative impact on women’s free movement in society and facilitate impunity of the people responsible for the attack.
ASK demanded immediate initiatives to start the trial and responsible conduct from public representatives while commenting on issues such as this.
A group of young men allegedly assaulted and sexually harassed some women at Sharawardy Udyan gate near Dhaka University’s TSC during the Pahela Baishakh celebrations on April 14, 2015.
Last December Detective Branch submitted the final report to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court for the disposal of the case as eight people, who were identified through scrutinising video footage harassing women, could not be arrested.
On January 27 this year, police arrested one Mohammad Kamal for his suspected involvement in the incident. He was sent to jail on January 31.
On February 23 this year, Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-3 directed the Police Bureau of Investigation to re-investigate the case.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net