The death of Nusrat Jahan Rafi is without question an instance of premeditated murder. The madrasa student, having been set on fire by fanatical loyalists of the madrasa principal she accused of sexual harassment, finally succumbed to her burn injuries on Wednesday.
Her death leaves us all shocked and shamed beyond measure, for the good reason that we have in our midst not only sexual predators in the garb of religion-driven men but also their followers who do not have the intelligence or willingness to see the sins and crimes committed by their mentors.
Rafi's tragedy is in a very large measure our shame because we have in the past couple of decades or more permitted the rise of men like Sirajuddoulah, the madrasa principal charged with sexual harassment by the young woman.
It should have been a matter of shame for this man and indeed he should have kept his head low for fear of the consequences of his stalking of a young woman who happened to be his student. But there was no shame in him. Instead, it was boiling anger at the case filed against him by Rafi which led him to action that has now ended Rafi's life. The question before us now is simple: will this man be punished and will his rabid followers be taken to task legally?
The murder of Rafi also brings to the fore the issue of all those women who the other day marched in the city in defense of Sirajuddoulah. These women, who saw nothing wrong in Rafi being set on fire and who refused to believe that the madrasa principal could do anything immoral, were demanding his release.
It should now be for the police and security agencies to identify all these veiled women and haul them before the law. Who gave them permission to march? And, of course, those behind the physical torment perpetrated on Rafi in the times before her death must face the full force of the law.
Nothing remotely should be done to have Sirajuddoulah and his goons escape. The law must take its course, fully and effectively and swiftly.Meanwhile, efforts should quickly be expended in investigating madrasas and schools where young girls are subjected to sexual harassment.
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