Staff Reporter :
The High Court (HC) on Tuesday issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain in four weeks as to why they should not be directed to frame an interim compensation scheme to rehabilitate the rape woman and child victims.
The HC Bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Md Khairul Alam passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed by a rights organisation, Children’s Charity Bangladesh Foundation, seeking necessary order to this effect.
At the same time, the HC wanted to know in the rule as to why the authorities concerned should not be directed to bring the movement of the public transports under surveillance to protect women and children. The court also wanted to know as to why they should not be directed to provide adequate protection to women and children to save them from sexual harassment and sexual violence.
In the rule, the court also asked to explain as to why they should not be directed to give Tk 50 lakh each to the families of Shahinur Akhter Tania and Sumaiya Akhter who were gang-raped and died in Kishoreganj and Rajshahi last month.
Shahinur Akhter Tania from Kishoreganj died after being gang-raped on May 8 while Sumaiya Akhter committed suicide on May 17 after being gang-raped in Rajshahi.
Barrister Md Abdul Halim appeared for the writ petitioner.
A dozens of entities, including Secretaries to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Children and Women Affairs, Ministry of Health and Family Planning and Ministry of Roads and Highways, were made the respondents to the rule.
