An anti-rape platform has started a 'long march' to Noakhali with the aim of raising mass cultural awareness about rape and sexual violence against women across Bangladesh.
Leftist student groups organised the march under the banner of “Bangladesh Against Rape and Torture”.
According to bdnews24.com, it kicked off from Dhaka's Shahbagh around 10:30 am on Friday.
Speaking at a rally ahead of the march, Masud Rana, president of the Samajtantrik Chhatra Front, said, "People will not accept the culture of rape that has been created through political patronage across the country. Our long march aims to create a mass awakening against it.”
Luna Noor, a member of Communist Party of Bangladesh's women's cell, said, "This long march is our call for a coordinated fight for justice, to unite the consciousness of the people in an environment of injustice."
Mehedi Hasan, president of the Bangladesh Chhatra Union, said, “The government has made the death penalty the maximum punishment for rape. But this is not enough to eradicate rape from society and the state.
Nasir Uddin Prince, general secretary of the Samajtantrik Chhatra Front, said the protesters will march from Shahbagh to Chashara in Narayanganj via Gulistan. They will then head to Sonargaon before reaching Comilla in the afternoon.
After a short rally in Cumilla town, they will begin the final leg of trek to Noakhali via Feni. Another rally will be held in Feni town on Saturday before the group sets off for Begumganj via Chaumuhani. The long march will later be capped Maijdee Court in the afternoon.
The platform will also press home its nine-point charter of demand in the course of the long march to form a consensus against rape and sexual violence, said Prince.