#me_too in Bangladesh: Another story comes in social media

Published : 08 Nov 2018, 16:05

Jagoroniya Desk

As #me_too movement has started to blow a storm in Bangladesh, another allegation of sexual harassment has appeared in social media. After Maksuda Akhter Priyoti and Shucheesmita Simonti, Asmaul Husna has expressed her experience of sexual harassment in facebook.

The facebook status of Asmaul Husna is given below as it is for the readers of Jagoroniya.

It was in 2013. I was a fourth year undergraduate student. In Facebook, I was having a normal conversation with a person, whom I met twice earlier at BYLC training and Jatri Institute, from the media. We planned to meet a day, at Bangladesh Shilpokala Academy, for a casual adda in the evening. After finishing reading from British Council library, I went to meet this person.

We ordered coffee and had a good discussion about books and all that. Then, I decided to go home around 7pm. While we were walking to go outside (towards the gate which is near to Motsyo Bhaban), he was telling me that, "You know, I am almost the age of your father and we can be good friends still. Isn't it?" While he was saying this, he kept his hands over my left shoulder. I was silent and thinking of it, perhaps, a friendly gesture. Then, he was telling me let's have a walk around the adjacent road of Shilpokala which is on the side of Dudok building. (I didn't know that road used to be almost empty and dark at that time.) I said yes, we can walk for ten minutes then I will go home.

While walking on the road, he stopped under a tree where it was darker. The road was totally empty. And, the poor me still couldn't sense something wrong is going to happen to me. He put his lip gel and offered me to put it. I said no, as I don't use other people's lip gel. Within a blink of the eye, this guy hold me tightly and started to kiss on my lips and was touching my body inappropriately. I was so shocked, afraid and lost. I hurriedly pushed him and ran towards Motsyo Bhaban, crossed the road and took a rickshaw.

This traumatic incident hurt me so badly that for the whole night I cried and couldn't sleep. I was afraid to go outside, I was afraid to meet new people. It took years to recover this trauma and fear. To be honest, the trauma is not recovered yet.

I wish I was more courageous at that point of my life to file a case against this criminal abuser.

I am a strong woman now that's why could write about my trauma and the injustice happened with me. I am more strong now because I want a sexual harassement free world for my two nieces', fellow women and the human being.

The name of this inhuman is Jamil Ahmed, a news presenter, tv program presenter and founder of Jatri. I want this sexual abuser must get punished.

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