Staff Reporter :
The High Court (HC) on Thursday directed the Kashimpur jail administration to produce seven prisoners, who have been serving in jail without trial for over 11 to 13 years in separate cases, in the court on January 24 next year.
The HC Bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice J B M Hassan also directed the lower court to submit the record and the documents of the cases in the court the same day.
The HC Bench passed the order and issued a Suo Moto rule after a television report was telecast about the seven prisoners on December 9.
Behesti Marzan, a panel lawyer of Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee, submitted the report in the court. The HC Bench passed the order considering the report.
In the rule, the HC asked the government to explain as to why the seven prisoners should not be granted bail in the cases.
Two prisoners have been serving in jail for 12 years, three for 13 years and other two for 11 years.
Behesti Marzan told the reporters that they have been in jail for more than a decade. The HC directed the Kashimpur jail administration to produce them in the court on January 24 next year.
According to the report, Rasel Sheikh from Kushtia has been in Kashimpur jail since December 11, 2004 in an arm case, Saidur Rahman from Badda since September 6, 2005 in a case filed under ‘Women and Children Suppression Protection Act’, Rajib Hossain from Keraniganj since September 19, 2003 in murder case of Khilgaon PS, Mohammad Pervez from Brahmanbaria since July 2, 2004 in a case filed under ‘Women and Children Suppression Protection Act’, Masud from Motijheel since April 1, 2003 in a case of Shyampur PS, Liton Chambu from Netrakona since January 23, 2005 in a murder case of Uttara PS and Babu from Gazipur since December 11, 2003 in a case filed in Ramna PS under ‘Women and Children Suppression Protection Act’.
Recently the High Court granted bail to five prisoners who had been in the same jail for more than 16 years without any trial.
