Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Wednesday issued a ruling upon the respondents to explain in seven days as to why they should not be directed to rehabilitate and compensate the rape victims.
In the ruling the court also wanted to know from the respondents to explain as to why the government should not be directed to formulate a scheme to provide compensation in cases where it is necessary to rehabilitate a rape victim, whether the rape case is proved or not.
The HC bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Md Kamrul Hossain Mollah passed the order after holding hearing on a writ petition filed in this regard.
The court also wanted to know in the ruling as to why the respondents should not be directed to provide sufficient compensation to the three rape victims of Khulna, Rangpur and Dinajpur.
Home Secretary, Women and Children Affairs Secretary, Health Secretary and 12 other respondents have been asked to comply with the ruling within seven days.
Barrister Abdul Halim and Advocate Ishrat Hassan appeared in the court on behalf of the writ petitioner.
Children Charity Bangladesh Foundation, a rights organization, filed the writ petition with the High Court on January 2 this year annexing some published reports.
Later Barrister Abdul Halim said, “In rape cases, 97 percent of the accused have been acquitted as the prosecution fail to produce sufficient evidence. Does that mean rape has not happened in 97 percent cases? But a rape victim is bearing the liabilities of that failure.”
“In many cases a child cannot go to his educational institution. Then where will he/she go? A state has some responsibilities in this regard. There are provisions for the rehabilitation of rape victims in most countries of the world,” added the lawyer.
