An indigenous female student who preferred to remain anonymous fearing her family’s security living in CHT, Bangladesh
(Art credit: thesurvivor)
Parents came to force me go back home. I refused because I had an exam coming up. At that very moment four or five indigenous guys forcefully entered my room. The guys were beating me with their hands and feet saying “bitches like you are destroying our society. Refusing indigenous guys and sleeping with non-indigenous guys, huh? Gonna show you how much betteran indigenous guy can fuck you!”
They were tearing my clothes & pulling out my hair with brutal force & kept repeating the same accusations & threats. My parents were crying and begging them to stop. A micro-bus was waiting. I was chained up and almost naked, counting the stairs as we descended from the 5th floor. Neighbours were asking what was going on, I could hear them telling them “This girl is mentally sick, so we are taking her to hospital. Please cooperate!“
Full story of her:
Back in 2011, a guy from my community proposed to me and I refused. Since he couldn’t accept the refusal, he began to constantly threaten me over phone. Hey was saying things like “I’ll make sure your life gets utterly destroyed and that you have to go back to your little town.” I was staying away from my hometown and my family because I was studying elsewhere. He was stalking me. One day I went to see the newborn baby of a friend who is like a brother to me. He is a non-indigenous guy. His wife insisted that he go with me to escort me to my place as it was late at night. So we took a rickshaw together. Several guys were following us but nothing happened that night.
Later that week, some indigenous guys came to my apartment asking my host family about me. My host family, who were also indigenous, didn’t agree with my social activities as they thought I was ‘too close’ with non-indigenous people. So they complained to those guys about my ‘wrong doings’. I was unaware of all of this happening until my roommate told me about it later. Then drama continued on. Two days later, my parents came to force me go back home. I refused because I had an exam coming up shortly. I was trying to lock my bedroom door when at that very moment four or five guys forcefully entered my room and kept asking my parents if they were going to take me back to my town or if they (the guys) should take righteous actions against me the ‘crime’ I had supposedly committed. Getting close to non-indigenous people, especially when you are an indigenous girl being friendly with a non-indigenous guy (No matter what kind of relationship it is) is considered a serious crime in our community.
One of those guys almost broke my neck when he physically silenced me when I was screaming “HELP! HELP!” The guys were beating me with their hands and feet saying “bitches like you are destroying our society. Refusing indigenous guys and sleeping with non-indigenous guys, huh? Want to elope with those non-indigenous mother fuckers? Gonna show you how much better an indigenous guy can fuck you!” They were tearing my clothes and pulling out my hair with brutal force and kept repeating the same accusations and threats. My parents were crying and begging them to stop. I never saw my parents so upset and vulnerable. My host family and my friend were standing there while all this was happening. They suggested that I stop screaming and go back to my town because it’s not ‘GOOD’ to hang out with non-indigenous guys.
A micro-bus was waiting at the ground floor. The guys who beat me brought vehicle. I was chained up and almost naked, counting the stairs as we descended from the 5th floor. I tried to scream out for help but they covered my mouth too. When neighbours were asking what was going on, I could hear them telling them “This girl is mentally sick, so we are taking her to hospital. Please cooperate!” That night, they threw me out of the micro-bus in front my home, along with all my belongings and with my parents.
We couldn’t ask for justice because it was those particular people’s territory. We also had to think of my little sister. They threatened that they would kill my little sister. My life was changed but not destroyed. I had to go through all kinds of nasty consequences. There were times when my parents would tell me to kill myself because it was more honourable than living with such stigma. Yes,it’s true that my relationship with my family was never the same and it was broken into a million pieces. But, I gathered up the pieces and worked hard to make it look something like it did before. I wasn’t allowed to go school, not allowed to go anywhere outside of my room. I was literally chained and locked in my room. My family was abandoned by almost the entire society. But I didn’t accept the stigma forced upon my existence. I COULDN’T. I WILL NEVER.
I finally managed to restart my studies again 2 years later. Now I am attending a renowned university. I STOOD UP. Probably not in a very visible way but in a way which is stronger than any other. I didn’t kill myself. I didn’t let them define me. And I continued my study, which is one of the best weapons a girl can ever utilise. I am learning and helping people, especially girls, to learn about their rights and to continue their studies no matter what! I am being the voice of many and helping many, many to rise! I believe education, self-esteem and courage will help erase these inhumane bigots from this society. I wanted change- that’s why I became a part of change. So, this is my story. If I could say one thing to my fellow sisters it would be: “Hope is a beautiful thing. Never lose hope!”