A section of members of AL and its associate bodies like Sramik League, Juba League and Bangladesh Chhatra League have been accused of rape. Theser acts have created public sensations and hatred among the people, but no visible corrective measures have so far been taken by the organisations.
In the latest incident, Bogra Town Unit Sramik League convener Tufan Sarker and his cohorts allegedly picked up a girl student forcibly, raped her and tortured her and her mother to suppress the crime which humiliated the victims socially in Bogra town in July.
When the victim filed a case on July 28, the Tufan’s associates picked up the victim and her mother from their house on order of Tufan’s wife Asha Khatun and her sister Marzia Hasan Rumki, also a Ward Councillor, tortured them and shaved the head of the victim and her mother. Police arrested 11 people including Tufan, his wife Asha and Councillor Marzia. Tufan’s associates Atik and Munna and barbar Jibon Rabidas confessed to the crimes.
We all know that politics is becoming criminalized – this is why it is such a difficult matter for any political party to punish the goons who masquerade as its leaders? Why is it difficult to find out who they are and punish them? Getting votes is no longer about exercising muscle power — it never worked in Bangladesh. If it did, dictators like Ershad would have remained in power forever as they cultivated a lot of these hooligans as pets. In fact, every election held in Bangladesh — at least the legitimate ones, were won as because the people wanted a change.
It is a simple matter to stop crimes such as rape by politically influential people. The law can easily be changed to make rape a non-bailable offense. This will immediately create fear in the minds of anyone who wants to rape. So-called student leaders must be brought to task if they commit any offense — not just rape. If they think that their political Boro Bhais (big brothers) have power to get them out of jail every time they commit any offense, they will not be scared of the law. Therefore the top party leaders have to convey a clear message that they are not dependent upon the rapists or miscreants to do politics or to remain in power or win elections.
