The
High Court on Monday issued a rule asking the authorities to explain by two
weeks as to why the delay of lodging a complaint of the Garo rape victim would
not be declared illegal.
A
division bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Kazi Md. Ejarul Haque Akondo
passed the rule upon a writ petition.
Five
human rights organizations Nari Paksha, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, Jatiya
Adivasi Parishad, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) and Ain O
Shalish Kendra filed the petition.
The
court also wanted an explanation from the authorities concerned on what reason
action will not be taken against the policemen for making delay in taking the
complaint and for negligence of duties.
It
also wanted to know as to why the rape victim will not be compensated.
The
HC also asked the government to confirm lodging complaints and giving services
to the rape victims.
The
court also sought a compliance report from Home Secretary, Inspector General of
Police and Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner within a month. It also
asked the Home Secretary to issue a gazette notification by one week asking all
the police stations to lodge complaints of any rape victim irrespective of
caste, creed and religion.
It
also sought a list of retired judges, lawyers and women human rights activists
to review the existing laws and procedures to stop sexual harassment and sexual
violence from the rights bodies that filed the petition by May 31.
Earlier
on May 21, a Garo woman was gang-raped on a moving microbus after she was
forcibly taken into the vehicle from near Jamuna Future Park in Dhaka city and
later dropped her at Jashimuddin road.
(Source:
BSS)