Police and anti-rape protesters clashed when the latter tried to break a police barricade and submit a memorandum to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at his residence.

Several individuals from both sides were injured in the incident that occurred around 3:30pm in front of the InterContinental hotel.

The protesters' demands include removal of the home adviser for what they say is his failure to ensure women's safety and maintain law and order. 

The demonstrators, under the banner of Bangladesh against rape and oppression, marched from Dhaka University to the intersection in front of the hotel, and as they tried to break a police barricade, the cops and the protesters shoved each other and some engaged in fistfights.  

Photo: Anisur Rahman

At one stage, police used batons, witnesses said.

Several policemen and women protesters were injured, they added.

Adrita Roy, one of the protesters, said, "We were peacefully protesting, but the police attacked us, including the women. Women were at the forefront of our march."

Even male police members assaulted female protesters, she added.

"The women were kicked after they fell to the ground. They have left us with no choice but to create a mass movement for the home adviser's removal," she said.

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Violence against women: ‘We can’t stay silent anymore’

Masud Alam, deputy commissioner of Ramna Division Police, said at least eight police personnel were assaulted by the protesters.

The protester, mostly students, demand exemplary punishment for rapists, amendment of relevant laws, and formation of a special tribunal to handle rape cases.

Amid a spate of incidents of violence against women, students began protests earlier this week.

Photo: Anisur Rahman

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State must ensure women’s safety

Yesterday morning, students from 30 colleges demonstrated at Shahbagh with similar demands.

Around midday, they kept the Shahbagh intersection blocked for half-an-hour and then demonstrated in front of the National Museum for several hours.

There were also a rally and a torch procession on DU campus last night.

Photo: Anisur Rahman

A police officer in plainclothes grabs a female protester by her hair near Intercontinental hotel in the capital yesterday. Anti-rape protesters and cops engaged in fistfights and shoved each other when the protesters tried to get to the chief adviser’s residence to submit a memorandum. Photo: Anisur Rahman