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Death of Anushka and moral degradation of our society

We want justice for Anushka


Published : 14 Jan 2021 07:50 PM | Updated : 02 Feb 2021 12:24 PM

The unnatural death of Anushka Noor Amin, an ‘O’ level student, has created a new ground for us to thinking about the moral degradation of the society. The student of Mastermind School was killed in Kalabagan in the capital after rape or mutual sexual intercourse on January 8. Anushka’s death is not just an isolated incident or one of many such incidents. 

Anushka is a victim of moral degradation. The case reflects the condition of many members of present young generation, particularly the condition of many youths and adolescents of elite families. We, the guardians and people of other sections, can’t avoid responsibility of such death. We have to be more aware to prevent such untoward incidents that are taking place due to moral degradation. 

Yes, the erosion of morals and values in the high society has become a serious issue in the present time. Every day, we are witnessing that women of all ages-- from children to elderly woman-- are falling victim to rape, eve-teasing and harassment. No doubt, that moral degradation is responsible for repeated rape incidents and other untoward incidents in the country. 

Anushka Noor Amin was violated by her boyfriend, but she was not a victim of gang-rape. She was taken to the hospital by her boyfriend Iftekhar Fardin Dihan, who was arrested following the death of Anushka as the lone accused in the case. According to media report, Anushka died due to excessive bleeding in her vaginal and anal areas. 

During adolescence period, the adolescents experience a variety of physical and mental changes. In adolescence period, an adolescent can feel special attraction to the opposite sex. Sometimes, some of them want someone’s company, and sometimes feeling of love can arise among them. It is a feature of the spontaneous development of adolescents. We should prevent the adolescents from any crimes and untoward incidents, considering the matter. 

In the present context, many teenagers are becoming addicted to exotic culture. It pushes many adolescents to moral degradation. The culture of boyfriend, girlfriend, physical relation, break-up and even room-dating are not nothing matter to many teenagers and youths, particularly a section of teenagers who come from posh families. They mix with each other easily. Mobile phone and internet have made their interaction very easy. The guardians should think about providing mobile phone set to their children. The guardians should also control and monitor the use of internet of their children. 

Meanwhile, many of the members of our young generation are getting involved in physical relationship before they become adult. They develop immoral physical relationship in the adolescence period. In this case, the medium of their education is pornography. They are habituated with pornography following uncontrolled internet use. As a result, they are addicted to perverted sex. Anushka Noor Amin may be one of the victims of the perverted sex. In the forensic report which came in the media, it was cited that perverted sex is the cause of Anushka’s death. She died of excessive sexual and anal bleeding following perverted sex. 

Anushka may be a victim of ‘postcoital bleeding’, the bleeding of woman after sex. She could survive if she and her boyfriend could be aware about the medical term and its proper solution. But they had no idea because they were adolescent. However, Dihan had tried to save the life of his girlfriend. When Anushka lost consciousness after sexual intercourse, Dihan tried to regain consciousness hurling water on her face and head. When he was enabled to regain consciousness, he took Anushka to the hospital. He also informed Anushka’s mother over telephone. 

Accused Iftekhar Fardin Dihan confessed in his own statement to the court that he had developed physical relation with Anushka. In the language of the law, rape is defined as sexual intercourse with a minor without consent, by cheating or by showing temptation. Dihan claimed that Anushka had consented. The possibility that Anushka was given an anesthetic cannot be ruled out. However, the inquest report found no signs of injuries on other parts of the body. So, if this death is the result of consensual sex, then nothing could be more unfortunate. 

According to some media reports, Anushka and Dihan had an affair. Intimate pictures of them have also been published in social media. According to the police investigation, Anushka and Dihan fell in love about two and a half months ago. They have also met outside for several times. Evidence of which has already been collected by the police. Besides, they used to talk on social media almost all the time. Anushka’s parents are both professionals. It is not the case that a child will be spoiled if both parents are professionals. The important thing here is family education, friendship with children and proper guardianship of the family.

Perhaps, Anushka’s family did not know about the relationship of their child with Dihan. They should have been aware about the matter. But it is clear that there was lack of proper guardianship. Anushka went out of her house to collect notes, providing false information to her mother. In the current digital age, notes can be collected in many ways while sitting at home. Although some claim to be from Anushka's family that she went to coaching and some girl misled her and took her to Dihan's house. If she had willingly gone to the house of Dihan, Anushka probably would not have been properly informed about the risk. 

Dihan's house was empty. The family was absent and undoubtedly Dihan intentionally called Anushka there with true or false information. He then fulfilled the purpose by consent or by force. So far, the possibility of more than one person being involved has not come up in the media. In case of excessive bleeding, he probably called his friends in fear and took her to the hospital. 

It is a problem that many parents in our society do not maintain a friendly relation with their children. Willingly or unwillingly, they maintain distance with their children. The adolescents don’t share anything of their life with their parents, while the parents also don’t make space for children in this regard. We have to know that parents are the real and genuine well-wishers of children. Religion, morality, family education and family’s friendship with children can prevent the recurrence of such tragic events. But the reality is that our society, which is constantly competing with ultra-modernity, is rapidly moving in the opposite direction.

In many cases, parents, being busy in their own affairs, are somehow not able to provide their children a suitable homely environment. Most of the parents don’t even know where their children are going, with whom they are mixing with and what they are doing on social media. Teachers also sometimes lack appropriate friendly approach towards the students. Excessive freedom that the children are enjoying at present time is also one of the reasons. Misuse of mobile phones and internet is also obstructing the adolescents from going towards a right track. 

A High Court’s observation can be mentioned in this regard. The High Court bench last year in its observation said that students, teachers and others have to be more aware to prevent such incidents. Moral degradation is responsible for repeated rape incidents occurring across the country. The High Court bench came up with the observation, while hearing a writ petition filed over the rape and suicide of a woman at Subarnachar upazila of Noakhali. 

The young generation is getting involved in all the crimes that have no plague of religion and morality. On the contrary, modern and open culture is predominant in their behavior. Recovery must start from the parents, teachers and others. We have to stop rape and unexpected death of women and children. To avoid such incidents, policymakers of the state, educational institutions, teachers, students, guardians and the elite figures of the society have to become aware. Last but not least, we want justice for Anushka.


Ehsanul Haque Jasim works with Bangladesh Post