“A united social resistance against eve-teasing is essential.”
Respected Chair of this seminar on “The Role of Students / Youth in Preventing Eve-Teasing,” esteemed panelists, and honoured guests—warm greetings and sincere regards to you all.

Today’s discussion stands as a testament to our civic awareness. I feel honoured to have the opportunity to speak as the keynote speaker on such a timely and significant topic. I thank the organisers wholeheartedly for this privilege. In particular, I extend my appreciation to the student community for recognising the urgency of building a united front against eve-teasing.

Ladies and gentlemen,
Eve-teasing has become a dreadful social problem in our society today. The venom of this social scourge has deeply infected our communities.
Barely a day passes without news reports of brutality, tragic deaths, or suicides resulting from eve-teasing. Every day, some woman somewhere is either killed or driven to take her own life due to this torment.
Such incidents are utterly unacceptable in any civilised society. The deep-seated misogyny and widespread apathy must be challenged and changed.

Since eve-teasing is a social disease, there is no longer any serious debate over the necessity of a collective social response alongside robust legislation and strict enforcement. Therefore, along with strong laws, it is crucial to foster a broad-based social resistance to tackle this issue.

In this context, the student and youth community has a particularly important role to play.

Dear audience,
Harassment of girls in public spaces is not a new phenomenon in our society. It is a deeply ingrained social illness. Many dismiss it lightly as “a youthful mischief” or “just harmless teasing.” But such trivialisation only strengthens the culture of impunity. There is no alternative to strong social resistance.

Eve-teasing, as a form of sexual harassment, obstructs the healthy mental development of young women. It fosters inferiority complexes and deprives them of self-confidence. Many girls are forced to stop attending school or college after being repeatedly harassed by local thugs. For generations, they have silently endured this torment, often in fear of shame or public scorn.

With little or no support from their families, some girls are driven to take their own lives. Moreover, those who step up to protest—be it teachers or parents—have often been targeted, and in some cases, even murdered by these sexual predators.

The brutal deaths of college teacher Mizanur Rahman in Natore and Chaparani from Madhukhali shocked and saddened the nation.

According to statistics published by the Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, within just ten months, eve-teasing was the cause behind the suicides of 300 young women (Source: Prothom Alo, 2 December 2007). This stark figure alone reveals how alarming the situation truly is. Doesn’t such a statistic alone cast a dark shadow over our identity as a civilised nation?

Honourable attendees,
You are surely aware that incidents of sexual harassment in the name of eve-teasing have increased worryingly in educational institutions.

On 14 May 2009, the High Court issued clear directives aimed at preventing sexual harassment in schools and workplaces, thereby laying a legal foundation for resistance against harassment disguised as teasing.

As per this verdict, the following are considered acts of sexual harassment:

Any form of physical or psychological abuse;
Unwelcome comments or jokes with sexual connotations;
Unwanted physical contact or attempts to touch;
Harassment via email, SMS, or telephone;
Pornographic materials, obscene images, graffiti;
Making inappropriate or suggestive remarks, calling someone “beautiful” with intent;
Intimidation or coercion of any sort;
Making false promises to establish relationships for sexual gain;
Any physical or verbal behaviour that carries sexual undertones.

The High Court’s directives apply not only to workplaces but also to educational institutions. As education is key to nurturing future citizens, it is imperative that our institutions maintain a safe environment and foster healthy perspectives on gender equality.

Yet we often believe educational institutions to be sanctuaries where such harassment is unthinkable. Unfortunately, reality paints a very different picture. Incidents of eve-teasing continue to increase.

This issue stems from multiple causes:

The perverse mentality and moral decay of unruly boys and young men;
A decline in societal values and ethics;
A breakdown in law and order.

However, one of the primary causes behind the rise in eve-teasing is the erosion of moral values among a significant section of our youth. This deterioration did not happen overnight—it stems from a long-standing moral and ethical decline.

Therefore, the time to act is now.

Dear guests,
Eve-teasing is not innocent mischief—it is a form of violence against women. It is a punishable offence. Hence, strict laws must be enacted to bring these offenders to justice. But laws alone are not enough. A broader social awakening and political will are also essential.

Only through the combination of:

strict legislation,
effective enforcement, and
proactive civic engagement,

can we hope to eliminate violence against women in all its forms.

It is the moral duty of every conscientious and progressive citizen to build a protective social net. We believe that, in addition to governmental and non-governmental efforts, local government institutions must come together to raise awareness and build community resistance.

Leaders and activists of political parties and youth/student organisations must also play an active role. As influential figures in society, they can shape attitudes and behaviours. It is essential to raise their awareness of the consequences of eve-teasing and to inspire them to encourage change among young people across the country.

When women face harassment on streets, in schools, at home, or in the workplace, the wheels of national progress are halted. National development is obstructed. Therefore, every aware citizen must rise in protest.

Wherever there is harassment—be it in homes, institutions, workplaces, or on the roads—it must be resisted.

Members of the public must be empowered to recognise eve-teasers as offenders, and exemplary punishments must be widely publicised. The message must be loud and clear:
Crime will not go unpunished. There will be no escape.

There can be no leniency.
We must break the culture of protecting criminals through familial or political influence.

The public must believe that protecting wrongdoers is unacceptable. The police must take responsibility and act swiftly when victims file complaints. Parents must instil moral values in their children from an early age.

Let us take a stand—today, now. Let us raise our voices, build awareness, demand justice, and protect the rights and dignity of women.

Only then can we truly claim to be a civilised society.

Thank you all.