2024-09-01 16:16:34
Female artists are vocal in protesting against rape and oppression of women and demanding justice for the perpetrators. The members of conscious women’s society have carried out the ‘shackle breaking march’ program to demand 13 points. Musician Farzana Waheed Sayan, Krishnakali, actress Ajmeri Haque Bandhan, Naushaba, photographer Shahidul Alam and his wife Rehnuma Ahmed and several human rights activists were present in it.
On Friday (August 30) at 11:59 pm, the march started from in front of the Shahbagh National Museum and ended at the Sangsad Bhawan. After 10 pm on this day, women started gathering in front of the National Museum with banners and placards. From there, the procession starts with festoons, banners and torches lit. Then it passed through ScienceLab, Kala Bagan and Asad Gate and ended in front of Sangsad Bhavan.
The participants of the padayatra chanted slogans such as ‘Break the power of men and equality’, ‘Stop legal oppression’, ‘Where is Kalpana Chakma?’, ‘Stop state produced violence’, ‘Stop hiding the crimes of the rich’, etc.
According to the organizers of this march, as a result of the bloody revolution of the students and the masses, the 15-year long autocratic government fell. The patriarchal and oppressive power structure we have seen for so long, will that culture change during the interim government?
The women concluded the march with a song by artist Sayan. The title of the song is ‘Mother Sisters Dare’. Earlier in a brief protest rally, the speakers presented their 13-point demands. Among these are: Exemplary and fair punishment should be ensured at the earliest to those involved in the ongoing rape-sexual violence across the country.
Industrialists-tycoons like Sayem Sobhan Anvir, Shafat Ahmed should be brought under the jurisdiction of women oppressive crimes and punishment should be ensured as soon as possible. If necessary, arrangements should be made to re-investigate cases which have been unfairly dismissed.
By revising Section 146 (3) of the Evidence Act, 1872 (Amended) in Rape Cases, ‘Victim Blaming’ (blaming/condemning) in any form of sexual violence irrespective of caste-religion-caste-age-sexual identity should be stopped. .
Efforts should be made to create a safe environment for women in the mountains by ensuring a free process of reporting sexual violence by military-civilian men against women in the mountains, taking complaints into account and fair trial.
A hotline should be launched to facilitate women in marginalized areas to prevent sexual violence. Attempts to cover up allegations of rape through Gramin Salish/Panchayat should be treated as a punishable offence.
Effective teaching of sex education (good touch-bad touch, importance of consent, private parts) should be included in the textbooks from primary level onwards.
Ensuring the safety of all children, including madrassa children, and ensuring fair trial of complaints in the fastest tribunal within 90 days if any child is a victim of sexual abuse.
The march to break shackles started from the anti-rape movement of 2020. It was celebrated for the fourth time.