Dhaka University teachers, students, rights activists and people from all walks of life on Tuesday called upon the government to bring to book Hasan Syeed, who reportedly tortured his wife, a Dhaka University teacher leaving her grievously injured.
They formed a human chain and marched down the streets on the campus and accused the police of poor investigation of a case filed by the victim’s family after the torture of Rumana Monzur on June 5 that caused grievous injuries to the teacher of international relations.
Rumana was hospitalised after being brutally tortured allegedly by her husband, Hasan Syeed, 38, a graduate from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, while the couple were staying at the Dhanmondi residence of the former’s parents.
Rumana needs better and modern treatment to save her eyes, said Ansarul Hoque, her physician at Labaid Specialised Hospital. There is very little hope of her regaining vision in the left eye, he added.
After undergoing treatment in Labaid Specialised Hospital in Dhaka for more than a week, Rumana was sent to Chennai in India on Tuesday afternoon a for better treatment of her eyes, her family told New Age.
‘She will be admitted to Sankara Nethralaya in Chennai,’ a family member said.
The teachers, students and alumni of international relations department gave the police 72 hours to arrest Hasan or they would go for a greater action programme.
The protesters wearing black badges brought out a silent procession that paraded the campus.
They also staged a symbolic protest blindfolding the statues of the Aparajeyo Bangla and vowed not to remove the blindfolds until justice was done to Rumana.
The protesters censured the university administration for taking any effective move to ensure justice to Rumana.
‘We cannot believe that the university authorities have not taken the incident seriously until it was made public,’ said Marzana Safat, a protester.
Teachers irrespective of their political affiliation and rights activists under the banner of Dhaka University Teachers Association also formed a human chain in front of the Aparajeyo Bangla in the morning and protested at the heinous act.
Hundreds of teachers except the Dhaka University vice-chancellor, AAMS Arefin Siddique, and pro-VC Harun-or-Rashid attended the human chain in demand of immediate arrest of the culprit. They sought intervention of the home minister, Sahara Khatun, in the case.
Samajtantrik Chhatra Front in the afternoon held a rally on the campus protesting at the inhuman torture of Rumana by her husband.
Hasan Syeed, who has no permanent job or business, beat up Rumana and tried to gouge her eyes out after a blazing row on June 5.
Rumana is doing a post-graduate course in political science at the University of British Columbia in Canada. She returned home last month for research work and planned to return to Canada after three months.
The victim’s father retired major Monzur Hossain, who filed a case with Dhanmondi police station on June 6 against Hasan, before leaving Dhaka with Rumana on Tuesday, said the family was scared as the perpetrator went into hiding.
Family members said that the police were under pressure from some cabinet members not to arrest Hasan.
When asked, the investigation officer of the case, Mokbul Hossain, denied the claim and said that they were investigating the case but Hasan had been on the run since the incident.
-With New Age input
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