Combating sexual harassment
The government
should show zero tolerance to
the killers
and rapists
It is extremely worrying to note that some hoodlums hacked a school boy to death and injured another for protesting against sexually harassing a schoolgirl in Barisal, according to a report in this newspaper on Sunday. What is surprising is that the killers are also students of a polytechnic institute. Hardly a day elapsed after the killing of the Barisal boy two other incidents are disturbing. In the first incident a 14-year old schoolgirl in the capitals Mirpur area was raped by her 25-year old Facebook friend, while another schoolgirl and her mother were beaten up by a hoodlum as the girl rejected his proposal of love.
The incidents of rape and sexual harassment on women and girls are showing no sign of abatement in the country. This nuisance is not only confined to cities and towns, it has spread to remote villages as well. It is an unpalatable fact that there is no dearth of incidents of harassment of women and girls at public places such as markets, offices, public transport and on the streets. Spoiled youths mainly target the women and girls belonging to the weak and vulnerable sections of the society. There are also girls who stopped attending their schools and colleges in the face of harassments by rowdy elements. Families of many victims do not go to the police stations fearing reprisals and social stigma. In some cases the perpetrators threaten the victims not to file cases or raise voice. Harassment and apathy by police also discourage the victims to take shelter of law. There are also allegations that police appear as predators instead of protectors.
We appreciate the bravery of the young boy named Syedur Rahman alias Ridoy Gazi, a class-X student of Barisal who lost his life for standing up against injustice. We live in a society where there is hardly any protest against injustice. Ridoy has set an example. We express our deep sympathy for the members of the bereaved family. The killers of Ridoy should be arrested immediately and brought to justice. The government should show zero tolerance to the killers and rapists in the interest of establishment of the rule of law. If these criminals are not punished it will not only make other criminals more desperate but will also discourage common people from protesting crimes of similar nature. It is the responsibility of the government, particularly members of the law enforcing agencies, to ensure safety and security of women and girls.
