Dhaka: Police on Wednesday foiled a scheduled programme of left-leaning student organisations from laying a siege to the Home Ministry demanding punishment of the offenders involved in sexual assault during the Bengali New Year celebration on 14 April in the Dhaka University campus. 

On 12 May, Pragatisheel Chhatra Jot, an alliance of left-leaning student organisations, and Samrajjobad Birodhi Chhatra Aykka (Anti-imperialist Students’ Unity) announced to lay siege to the Home Ministry on Wednesday if their five-point demands in connection with the DU sexual assault incident are not met within a week.

Police put up barricade when the parties brought processions towards Doyal Chattar. The procession broke through the barricade and gathered in front of the High Court.

Students’ Alliance secretary Hassan Tareque said, ‘Our today’s action of breaking through the barricade is symbolic. We will break all the barricades if our demands are not met.’

He also said they will lay siege to Prime Minister’s office if their demands of punishing the molesters are not fulfilled. 

Anti-imperialist Students’ Unity convenor and Students’ Federation president MM Parvez Lelin said ‘Police tried to trap us by putting barricade but we did not stepped into the trap.’

Earlier, on 10 May, Police charged batons on a gathering of students who were protesting the sexual harassment of women during the Bangla New Year celebrations on Dhaka University campus.

Police also detained three of the Bangladesh Students’ Unit activists from the scene, and at least seven BSU activists were injured during the attack.