A shocking incident of mob-like aggression and blatant misogyny has unfolded at Dhaka University’s prestigious Teacher-Student Centre (TSC), exposing the ugly face of mobocracy and deep-seated hatred toward women even in spaces meant for education and enlightenment.
In the early hours of February 25, two young women and a male companion were brutally assaulted near the Raju Sculpture at TSC after returning from sehri in Old Dhaka. CCTV footage that has since gone viral reveals a horrifying scene: university students launching unprovoked attacks with fists, kicks—including flying kicks—helmets smashed against heads, and sticks brandished threateningly.
One aggressor is seen charging aggressively toward a woman with a bamboo stick, while verbal abuse, including derogatory slurs labelling the woman as “prostitutes,” compounded the physical violence. The victims, visibly terrified, are heard pleading in anguish: “We are not safe even in front of Dhaka University… Dhaka University students are beating us.”
The two identified perpetrators are Ahmed Rakib (also known as Rakib Ahmed Sohan), a 2023–24 session student in the Department of World Religions and Culture (resident of Zia Hall), and Shahriar Islam Tushar, from the Department of Theatre and Performance Studies (resident of Bijoy Ekattor Hall).
Shockingly, Ahmed Rakib is the prime accused—along with his twin brother—in a 2024 murder case in Gazipur’s Kaliakair upazila. In that incident, a young man named Sabbir Hossain was allegedly hacked and thrown from a 10-storey building rooftop on September 9, 2024. Despite a charge sheet being submitted, the accused have reportedly evaded arrest, raising serious questions about law enforcement’s inaction.
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Senior journalist and political analyst Probir Kumar Sarker said that this was no isolated scuffle; it was a sustained 25-minute ordeal of mob violence driven by unchecked entitlement and misogynistic rage. The attackers targeted women simply for being present on campus at night, questioning their right to public space with slurs and brutality. Such behaviour reeks of mobocracy—where groups of men impose vigilante “justice” through sheer force, bypassing reason, law, or decency. It reflects a toxic culture of hatred against women, where female autonomy is met with violence and humiliation.
Dhaka University, a beacon of learning, cannot tolerate this descent into thuggery. The administration has rightly formed a three-member probe committee, with Proctor Saifuddin Ahmed confirming that the initial review of footage establishes prima facie evidence. Swift, exemplary punishment—expulsion, legal prosecution, and no leniency for campus influence—must follow if guilt is proven. Anything less would embolden future aggressors.
This outrage demands broader condemnation: society must reject the notion that women forfeit safety by existing in public after dark. Universities must foster zero-tolerance environments against gender-based violence, mob vigilantism, and criminal elements among students. Police must urgently apprehend fugitives like Rakib, ensuring no one escapes justice due to connections or delays.
Journalist Probir said that the victims’ cries echo a painful truth: no campus, no matter how prestigious, is immune to misogyny and lawlessness. Condolences and solidarity to the survivors—may they receive justice, healing, and the assurance that such barbarism will not prevail. The rule of law, respect for women, and civilised conduct must triumph over mob rule and hatred.
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