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committee yesterday, said its General Secretary Mohammad Kalam Khan.

Like the previous days, people from different walks of life gathered in front of Ramisa’s house in Pallabi yesterday morning and held human chains, demanding capital punishment for the accused.

“We are now living in fear for our own children. No human being should commit such brutality against a child. We want a speedy trial. We want a safe place for our children,” said a woman who joined one of the human chains.

After Juma prayers, several hundred people under different banners blocked the Mirpur-10 intersection. The protest, which began around 2:15pm, continued for two hours. Later, the protesters blocked the Kalshi road for several hours.

Protesters said a culture of impunity has allowed heinous crimes such as rape and murder to rise.

Paritran Talukder, ADC (Traffic) of Mirpur division, told The Daily Star that traffic movement from Kalshi to Mirpur-11 remained suspended for a few hours due to the protest, while vehicular movement was also disrupted at Mirpur-10.

Members of Prothom Alo’s youth platform Bondhushava held a protest rally at the SAARC Fountain in Karwan Bazar, demanding the quickest possible trial and capital punishment for those responsible.

The platform placed a three-point demand, including modernisation of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act to ensure exemplary punishment and speedy disposal of cases involving violence against women and children.

The platform also demanded a unified legal definition and punishment for sexual abuse against children, regardless of gender, and called for strict measures against abuse of boys in residential educational institutions, including madrasas. Religious leaders and political parties were urged to speak out strongly against such abuse.

Bondhushava also called for nationwide awareness campaigns against violence against women and children through state initiatives involving media outlets, educational institutions, and religious organisations.

The Gulshan Society formed a human chain at the Gulshan-2 intersection yesterday morning, demanding exemplary punishment for those responsible for Ramisa’s murder.

A human chain was also held in Block-C of Khilgaon under the banner of Pallima Sangshad. Around 200 people, including members of affiliated organisations and local residents, joined the programme.

Similar protest programmes were held in Dinajpur’s Nawabganj, Brahmanbaria’s Bancharampur, and Rajbari’s Goalanda.

Meanwhile, the city unit of Islami Chhatra Shibir brought out a protest procession from New Market Baitun Noor Mosque.