Dhaka University assistant proctor Shehrin Amin Bhuiyan Monami has publicly defended Umme Uswatun Rafia, an executive member of DUCSU, after a video of Rafia’s heated exchange with police in Dhanmondi went viral on the day the tribunal delivered its verdict against Sheikh Hasina.
In a late-night Facebook post, Monami argued that Rafia is being disproportionately targeted because she visibly and confidently practices her religious identity. She contended that the same level of assertiveness from a non-hijabi student would likely have been applauded by segments of the “civil” elite as an example of female empowerment.
Monami also criticized officers’ behavior during the confrontation, describing it as “completely unacceptable, disrespectful and abusive.” She lamented that Rafia’s firm response under pressure is not being recognized as empowerment, suggesting this stems from a narrow, choice-based view of feminism that dominates mainstream discourse in Bangladesh.
The clip of the incident, which unfolded amid heightened tensions around the tribunal proceedings, sparked intense debate online, with many users blaming Rafia for challenging police at the scene. Monami’s intervention adds an institutional voice to those calling for a more even-handed assessment of the episode—both in how women’s assertiveness is judged and how law enforcement actions are scrutinized.