Stern steps needed to stop eve teasing

Eve teasing in the country has become worse. Almost every day in media we see reports of murders of schoolgirls and adolescents by eve teasers. Suraiya Akter Risha, a class-VIII student of Willes Little Flower School, died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on August 28, four days after she was stabbed allegedly by a stalker in front of the institution at Kakrail in the capital.

Nearly six months ago, Risha along with her mother went to a tailoring shop in order to make her school dress. Her mother wrote their phone number in the receipt book while paying order for school dress. Obaidul Khan, 29, an employee of the tailoring shop, collected the phone number and started to contact to that number. At one stage, he proposed to Risha but rejected. With the days passing away, Obaidul became desperate for Risha and continued to disturb. Even Obaidul waylaid Risha on her way back from the school and tried to talk to her the day before he stabbed her on the Kakrail footbridge near the school. On Sunday, Risha died while undergoing treatment at the hospital.

Acid throwing towards schoolgirls and adolescents increased a decade ago as they would not respond to the proposal placed by the stalkers. The tendency to acid throwing somewhat reduced as the governmemt took a stern stance and enacted strict law against it at that time. But it did not reduce in real sense. Most of time family members of the victim are seen to come under brutal killings as they protested the wrongdoings committed by the eve teasers. The administration becomes very active when torturing incidents on women are seen to publish in the media. In most cases, it is seen that the culprits are released although they are arrested. The criminals get more advantage if they are the influential. In reaction, victim’s family is seen to face harassment. Many girls like Risha hesitate to reveal the eve teasing incidents in public for fear of harassment. At last many of them either choose the path of suicide or are to be victim of the brutal killing.

We do not like to see drop of fresh lives like Risha anymore. Our guardians should be aware of their children. Main condition of a democratic system is to ensure rule of law. So the eve teasers should be given exemplary punishment to ensure the rule of law. The government should take effective steps to prevent eve teasing. Besides, steps should be taken to create social awareness in this regard.

risingbd/Dhaka/Aug 31, 2016/Shahed/Amirul