Hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshi students came out of their dormitories early Sunday, including at Dhaka University to protest rapes and crimes against women in the country, including an 8-year-old girl.

Thousands of students marched at midnight on campuses with a demand for justice for the victims.

The girl was brutally tortured and raped in southwestern Magura district Thursday when she visited her sister-in-law’s house. She is on life support in a hospital in Dhaka.

Students demanded action in 24 hours from the government and the resignation of Home Affairs adviser Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury.

Dhaka University students demanded the maximum punishment for the rapists of the girl and a speedy trial in rape cases around the country.

Protesters chanted slogans, including, “We want justice, we want justice” and “In my golden Bengal, there is no place for rapists.”

Umama Fatema, spokesperson for the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement that led an uprising in August on behalf of the students the saw the ouster of then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, said the rapists of the girl should appear in court within 24 hours and the maximum punishment should be hanging.

“That punishment should be ensured by bringing them under speedy trial,” she demanded.

She also said that Chowdhury should resign and take responsibility for the deterioration of law and order, including murder and rape.

The students said that they have been seeing a culture of impunity for a long time. “We cannot allow this to continue,” they said.

The girl has been lying unconscious in hospital for two days and has not regained consciousness. Doctors said her condition is critical.

A case has been filed against four suspects in the case. The child's mother filed the case at the Magura Sadar Police Station on Saturday.

The High Court ordered that the trial of the case be completed within 180 days without any hindrance.