Gender of womb’s child can’t be disclosed: HC

The High Court on Sunday (February 25) delivered a verdict saying the gender of unborn babies cannot be disclosed.

The court also directed the government to take necessary measures so that hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres strictly follow the guideline that does not allow the detection of gender during pregnancy.

An HC bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Kazi Zinat Haque handed down the verdict following a writ petition.

Lawyer Ishrat Hasan was present on behalf of the writ petitioner, while deputy attorney general Amit Das Gupto represented the state.

Earlier on February 19, the HC fixed today for delivering the verdict on a rule.

After the verdict, writ petitioner lawyer Ishrat Hasan said no hospitals, diagnostic centres, laboratories or other entities will be allowed to disclose gender of the unborn babies. It means there is no way to know whether the child of the womb is a boy or a girl after today.

Ishrat Hasan, a Supreme Court lawyer, filed the petition with the HC as a public interest litigation on January 26, 2020, seeking its directive to the authorities concerned to prohibit the gender detection of unborn babies in order to ensure protection of the babies and pregnant mothers.

Following the petition, another HC bench on February 3, 2020 issued a rule asking the authorities to explain why they should not be directed to frame a guideline to prevent sex detection of unborn babies.