Why arbitration for rape should not be illegal, HC issues rule

The High Court (HC) has issued a rule asking the authority concerned as to why arbitration for offence of rape should not be illegal. 

Alongside, the court also asked the authority concerned to submit a report within three months on whether the HC directives to dispose of rape cases within 180 working days is being implemented?

The bench of Justice Mujibur Rahman Miah and Justice Mohiuddin Shamim came up with the order on Wednesday (October 21).

Advocate Yadia Zaman moved for the writ petition while deputy attorney general Nowroz Russell Chowdhury and ssistant attorney general MMG Sarwar Payel represented the state in the court.

Earlier on October 18, a writ petition was filed in HC seeking directions to declare arbitration in the rape case as a criminal offence.

The petition also sought strict adherence to HC’s directives to dispose of rape cases within 180 working days without interruption.

In addition, the writ petition sought directions on how many rape cases have been filed across the country in the last 10 years and how many cases have been sent to court for trial. The writ also sought directions to implement the provision of holding the trial of the rape case in a closed court.

Advocate Yadia Zaman and Advocate Shahinuzzaman Shahin filed the writ petition on behalf of Human Rights Organization Ain O Salish Kendra.

Secretaries of the Law Ministry, Home Ministry, Social Welfare Ministry and Women and Children Affairs Ministry, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Registrar General of the Supreme Court (SC), have been made respondents in the writ petition.