The central president of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), Rakibul Islam Rakib, has vowed that the student organisation will continue protests until those responsible for the rape of Afiya, a member of the group, are brought to justice.

Speaking during a human chain on Monday (March 10) in front of the High Court Gate, Rakib demanded an immediate trial for the perpetrators, as part of a larger protest against rising violence, oppression, and impunity against women.

The event, organised by Chhatra Dal, saw leaders and activists from several colleges and universities across the capital participating in the demonstration.

Rakib expressed his growing concern over the increasing incidents of violence and rape against women, criticising the government for its lack of effective action.

"Day by day, these incidents are increasing, but all we hear from the government are conventional statements," he said. "We clearly see the lack of sincerity in their response."

Further addressing the issues at hand, Rakib highlighted the erosion of social structure over the past 15 years, calling for a change. He strongly asserted that under the leadership of Tarique Rahman, a government would be formed that would actively work to end the abuse of women in Bangladesh.

Rakib also issued a direct appeal to the interim government, urging them to act swiftly and ensure that all cases of rape and oppression are prosecuted without delay. "Law and order must be improved immediately," he said. "If this is not done, we will be forced to hold the government accountable."

Nasir Uddin Nasir, General Secretary of JCD, joined in the condemnation, describing the interim government as "the weakest in the world."

He criticised the government`s failure to improve the law and order situation, pointing to the disturbing case of an eight-year-old girl being raped in Magura.

"How can women`s clothing be the problem, when even an eight-year-old girl is being raped?" Nasir questioned.

He argued that the culture of impunity, which has grown over the last 15 years, has contributed to the increasing violence against women.

Nasir also noted that while the government had declared the death penalty for rapists in 2020, the lack of enforcement had led to a rise in such crimes. He reiterated JCD`s demand for the interim government to tighten law and order to curb the growing violence against women.

In his speech, Nasir brought up the troubling issue of political interference in criminal justice, citing recent examples where individuals accused of sexual assault were released with the help of influential figures.

"You saw how the Dhaka University unit president of Chattra Shibir, was able to secure the release of an assaulter from the police station," he said.

He also mentioned that a leader of the newly formed Democratic Student Union, who had been publicly identified as a sexual offender, was still included in the committee.

JCD has called on the interim government to take decisive action against the influential figures within its ranks who continue to support or shield perpetrators of violence and oppression.