The University of Dhaka authorities have established a three-member committee to probe accusations that two students harassed and physically assaulted two women in the vicinity of the Raju Sculpture at TSC on the university campus early Wednesday morning. Dhaka University Proctor Saifuddin Ahmed informed The Daily Star that the committee was set up after two men accompanying the women lodged written complaints with his office the previous day.
A video circulating on social media depicts one of the accused individuals brandishing a bamboo stick and attempting to kick one of the women, while the women can be heard accusing the men of physically attacking them. In the video, one woman expresses, “We are not safe in front of the University of Dhaka. We are not safe after August 5. University boys beat us. They say our clothes mean we are prostitutes.” Another woman recounts, “We came to TSC after having sehri at Nazirabazar. They slapped my rider. They are calling us prostitutes. How can they raise their hands on women?”
During the video, someone off-camera dismisses the presence of evidence, to which the woman responds by mentioning the availability of CCTV footage. Another woman, visibly upset, questions, “Why did he slap me? Why would a Dhaka University student hit me? Can’t I come here? Am I from outside Bangladesh?”
The accused students have been identified as Shahriar Islam Tushar, a student in the 2023-24 session at the Department of Theatre and Performance Studies residing in Bijoy Ekattor Hall, and Rakib Ahmed Sohan, a student in the 2023-24 session at the Department of World Religions and Culture residing in Zia Hall. When contacted, Shahriar Islam refuted the allegations, stating that although he was involved in a scuffle with a man accompanying the women, he did not lay hands on any woman.
Shahriar Islam claimed that upon encountering a woman and a man in an ‘indecent’ state at TSC after sehri, he inquired about their identities upon suspecting intoxication. He mentioned that the situation escalated into a verbal altercation and physical confrontation with the man but denied engaging in physical altercations with the women.
Rakib Ahmed Sohan was unavailable for comment but issued a separate statement to the media admitting to holding a bamboo stick but denying any acts of assault. He explained that while seated at TSC, he and his companions questioned the group’s behavior, leading to an aggressive response from the other party. Rakib clarified that he did not strike anyone with the bamboo stick but acknowledged engaging in some pushing and shoving during the encounter.
Proctor Saifuddin confirmed the collection of CCTV footage related to the incident, identifying four Dhaka University students on the scene. He noted that upon initial review, no evidence of the women being beaten with sticks was found in the footage. However, he emphasized the need for a more thorough examination to ascertain the actual events that transpired.
Furthermore, Saifuddin mentioned that the women themselves did not file any complaints, but the two men accompanying them submitted written complaints to the proctor’s office. One of the complainants identified himself as the rider while the other as a childhood friend of the women. According to the proctor, the complaints alleged that the men were repeatedly interrogated and verbally abused before being attacked with a helmet, which also resulted in the assault on the two women at TSC.