A scuffle broke out between anti-rape protesters and law enforcers near the secretariat today as demonstrators attempted to march forward, demanding the resignation of the home adviser for failing to ensure women's safety.

Protesters later issued a 24-hour ultimatum for the home adviser to resign, warning that failure to do so would result in stricter actions.

The clash occurred around 3:00pm when protesters dismantled police barricades and tried to move past them. In response, law enforcers pushed them back. No severe injuries were reported during the confrontation.

Following the clash, the protesters staged a sit-in near Shikkha Bhaban, continuing their demonstration until 4:00pm.

Earlier in the day, they had gathered at the Central Shaheed Minar under the banner "Bangladesh Against Rape and Oppression," pressing for urgent reforms to address the rising cases of sexual violence and harassment.

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Protesters' Demands

The demonstrators demanded the immediate resignation of the home affairs adviser, holding him accountable for failing to ensure public safety. Protesters urged authorities to take decisive action to curb rape, sexual violence, theft, robbery, and mugging across the country. They called for immediate and thorough trials for all rape cases nationwide, including in both hill tracts and plains, and proposed the establishment of a special tribunal if necessary. They also pushed for legal reforms to strengthen sexual violence prevention laws, incorporating input from relevant stakeholders.

The protesters demanded that rape be redefined under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, 2000, ensuring justice regardless of gender, sexuality, religion, race, nationality, disability, or age. Protesters insisted on legally prohibiting rapists from marrying their victims. In the case of marital rape, it must be ensured that inquiries into a victim's past sexual history in court be conducted only by female judges in closed-door sessions.

Institutional reforms were also a key demand, with calls for the establishment of anti-sexual harassment cells in all educational institutions and workplaces, following a democratically revised High Court guideline. The demonstrators stressed the necessity of gender sensitivity training for law enforcement and judicial officers and advocated for incorporating gender sensitivity, consent, and gender-based violence prevention lessons into school curriculums from primary to higher secondary levels.

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To facilitate rape case procedures, they demanded the removal of unnecessary bureaucratic delays at police stations and the formation of special units to handle such cases effectively. They also called for a review and enforcement of the 2011 Witness Protection Act to ensure the safety of survivors and witnesses. The demonstrators warned of escalating movements if the home affairs adviser fails to resign.

The demonstrators warned of escalating movements if the home affairs adviser fails to resign.