Several hundred men, women and children, students and teachers of different schools and colleges, human rights activists and NGOs including Bangladesh Mohila Parishad, Bangladesh National Women Lawyers' Association, Sammilito Sangskritik Jote, Barind Development Forum and professionals brought out a procession at 10 am and paraded the city streets.

They held a rally at Shaheb Bazar Zero point with local elite Sayed Md Mohsin in the chair demanding proper probe into the incident and speedy trial of the case.

Later they went to Boalia PS and laid a siege there for an hour to lodge their protests.

The neighbouring people of Sheikhpara, Ghoshpara and Sipaipara also observed a half-day hartal in their areas demanding punishment to the culprits.

In the meantime, the Committee to Resist Repression on Women and Children in the city have been observing a seven-day protest programmes since the murder of Mili on Wednesday.

Their programmes included wearing of black badges, signature campaign, holding human chain, rally and submitting memo to relevant authorities.

Mafroza Begum Mili, student of class V at PN Government High School was gangraped and later strangled at a house on May 3 morning.

Her father Mansur Rahman Mollah, an instructor of Rajshahi Postal Academy filed a case accusing the house owner's son Fazle Rabbi Rion, his relative Saiduzzaman Minar and their neighbour Fazlur Rahman, an employee of the Bangladesh Power Development Board.

The police interrogated the three accused who were arrested and taken on a five-day remand the next day.

The accused were found inside the rented house when neighbourers rescued Mili by breaking open the door, police said.

At the time of the incident, Mili was alone at home as her father was in the office and mother went out to bring her brother home from a coaching centre.

Meanwhile, a medical board headed by Dr Ashraful Alam, chairman of forensic department of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital confirmed that Mili was raped by several people before being murdered.

Our RU Correspondent adds: Bangladesh Samajtrantrik Dal (BSD) of Rajshahi unit Friday staged a demonstration at zero point demanding immediate arrest and trial of the killers.

The BSD leaders criticised the police administration for failing to nab the culprits and said the killers have links with the influentials in the administration.

They also threatened to launch a tougher agitation against the police administration if the culprits were not punished.

At least 25 organisations and NGOs of the district in a statement expressed deep concern over the Mili murder and said law and order has sharply deteriorated in Rajshahi city.

The oraganisations are Bangladesh Awami League Rajshahi unit, Mohila Awami League, Rajshahi Mohila Parishad, RU Mohila Parishad, Bangladesh National Women Lawyers' Association, Barind Development Forum, Prochesta, Trinamul, Sha Unnayan, Niskriti, Partner, Nutun Kuri, Women Development Association, Kollyani, Sabuj Sangha and DARK.

All the organisations demanded proper trial of Mili murder. They also demanded trial of rape and murder of four other girls in the district in last one month.

The four victims are--school girls Joly of Durgapur and Hasina of Bagha, teenager Rulifa of Charghat and Noor Banu, a domestic help at the house of a Rajshahi City Corporation engineer.

Earlier, on Wednesday, several hundred students of PN Government Girls High School formed a large human chain in the city. They wore black badges protesting the murder and chanted slogans demanding punishment to the culprits.