Recently, controversy has erupted on social media after a man accused of publicly kicking a woman during a protest by the Democratic Students’ Alliance was greeted with flowers upon his release on bail.
Left-leaning political parties and civil society groups have expressed outrage over the incident.
The protest took place on May 28 in front of the Chittagong Press Club. It was organized by the Democratic Students’ Alliance to protest the acquittal and release of Jamaat leader ATM Azharul Islam, who was previously sentenced to death for crimes against humanity during the Liberation War.
During the protest, a group called the “Shahbagh Opposition Alliance” launched an attack, injuring several participants. A 15-second video showing a man kicking two people, including a woman, spread widely on social media.
The footage showed protestors seeking shelter near a building by the Press Club, with a police officer present. The attacker bypassed the officer, approached the group from behind, and kicked a person. Moments later, he turned and kicked a woman.
The attacker was later identified as Akash Chowdhury, a ward-level leader of Islami Chhatra Shibir (student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami). He had previously been accused of attacking a Sunni rally in Muradpur, Chittagong.
Facing heavy criticism, Jamaat-e-Islami issued a statement on May 30, signed by Assistant Secretary of Chittagong City Jamaat, Mohammad Ullah, declaring Akash expelled from the party.
The statement condemned his actions, noting he participated in the incident without authorization and violated party discipline.
On June 1, Akash was arrested by police from Laldighi in Chittagong and sent to jail. However, on June 4, a Chittagong Metropolitan Magistrate granted him bail on the condition that he report to the court daily starting June 15.
Following his release, photos and videos surfaced online showing Akash being greeted with flowers by several individuals, posing for photos. This reception reignited public outrage.
Many questioned the message such a gesture sends — celebrating someone accused of publicly assaulting a woman.
Leftist parties and the Democratic Students’ Alliance labeled this reception as a “validation of violence.”
The assaulted woman, also a central vice president of the Democratic Students’ Alliance, called the arrest a “staged drama” meant to save face due to the viral nature of the video. She claimed the charges were manipulated and that law enforcement failed to act impartially.
She added that welcoming the attacker with flowers encourages such violence and further criticized the authorities’ inaction.
This is not the first time such a gesture has occurred. In March, Mustafa Asif Arnab, who harassed a woman at Dhaka University over her attire, was also welcomed with flowers after being released on bail. He had verbally abused the woman for not wearing a veil near the Raju sculpture, leading to a police case.
Following public backlash, a group under the banner of “Tawhidi Janata” greeted Arnab with garlands and a turban.
Experts argue that such repeated incidents reflect not just isolated behavior but a deep-rooted societal problem — concerning women’s status, law enforcement, and social values.
Social media users described these receptions as rewarding perpetrators and promoting victim-blaming.
Dhaka University sociology professor Samina Luthfa said such receptions clearly reveal a political party’s stance on women’s rights.
She stated:
“Everyone has the right to bail. But who is celebrated and who isn’t reveals a party’s view on women. Though Jamaat expelled him, their members welcomed him — possibly to normalize the crime socially, which is unacceptable.”
She added,
“Welcoming a perpetrator with flowers sends a chilling message — that violence against women is not only accepted, but honored. Victims are silenced while perpetrators are celebrated.”
Luthfa emphasized the need for women’s rights activists and the public to push back, as political normalization of such acts can lead to more violence if left unchecked.
Jamaat-e-Islami has yet to officially comment. However, Chittagong City Jamaat’s assistant secretary Mohammad Ullah denied any party involvement in the reception, telling BBC Bangla:
“We have no connection to Akash Chowdhury. We don’t know who welcomed him — possibly friends. It’s a personal matter. As a party, we have already condemned his actions. If individuals acted wrongly, that’s their responsibility.”
