Act fast with care
The High Court has ordered the government to make sure police accept rape complaints instantly and provide necessary services to complainants without discrimination.
The order came yesterday with reference to delay in recording a case over the gangrape of a Garo woman in the capital.
The court asked the authorities concerned to order all police stations to record any rape complaint without delay and ensure that services are provided without discrimination on the basis of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.
The home secretary, the inspector general of police, and the commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police have been directed to issue a circular in this regard to police stations across the country within a week.
On May 21, a Garo woman was forced into a microbus near Jamuna Future Park and was gangraped at Kuril. The 21-year-old was then dropped off at Jasimuddin Road in Uttara.
According to media reports, police wasted time in recording her complaint and sending her to a victim-support centre.
In response to a writ petition, the HC issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain in two weeks why the delay in recording the case and sending the Garo woman to a victim-support centre should not be declared illegal.
In the rule, the court also asked the authorities to provide reasons as to why they should not be directed to take action against the police personnel responsible and compensate the victim.
The HC asked the petitioners to submit a list of retired judges, lawyers and rights activists by May 31 so that the court might form an experts committee to review existing law for prevention of sexual harassment and violence, petitioners' counsel Sara Hossain told The Daily Star.
The HC bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo fixed June 14 for giving further orders on this issue.
The bench came up with the order following the writ petition collectively filed by five rights organisations -- Nari Pakkho, Mahila Parishad, Jatiya Adibasi Parishad, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust, and Ain O Salish Kendra -- on May 24 seeking necessary orders from the HC over the gangrape.
In the petition, they said the police failure to take prompt and effective measures for treatment and referral services to the victim was a breach of the state's obligation to ensure the right to physical and mental health of every person.
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