Justice must be ensured quickly: HC

The High Court yesterday said that the people of the country want the trial of the gang-rape at Sylhet's MC College to be finished and justice be ensured quickly.

If the case is transferred from the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal of Sylhet to another court, a delay might take place in disposing of the case, the HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman said.

Making this observation, the bench directed the Tribunal of Sylhet to hold the trial of both the charges of gang-rape and snatching away the valuables from the victim in September last year.

Currently, two separate courts of Sylhet -- Nari O Shishu Nirjaton Daman Tribunal and it's District and Sessions Judge's Court -- are holding the trial of the charges brought in the same case filed for the incident, as the police submitted two separate charge sheets to the court in connection with the same case.

Yesterday, the HC bench also directed police to provide security to the victim, informant of the case, his [informant's] lawyer, and witnesses.

The commissioner of Sylhet Metropolitan Police and officer-in-charge of Shah Paran Police Station in the district have been asked to ensure their security.

The HC bench came up with the observation and order after hearing a petition filed by the victim's husband seeking transfer of the courts holding trial of the case.

Petitioner's lawyer Sabrina Zarin told the HC that if the two separate courts hold the trial of the changes arising from the same first information report (FIR) of the case, the trials will not be fair.

She also said the police have arrested the informant of the case [husband of the victim] on February 6 as he could not appear before a trial court for giving a statement only for one day and the police are issuing a threat to his family, lawyer, and witnesses in Sylhet.

After hearing, the HC bench disposed of the petition saying that only the Nari O Shishu Nirjaton Daman Tribunal of Sylhet will hold the trial of the sensational case.

Deputy Attorney General Sarwar Hossain Bappi represented the state during the hearing of the matter.

A group of BCL activists -- some of the current and former students of MC College in Sylhet -- raped a woman after tying up her husband on September 25 last year.

Later that night, the victim's husband filed a case accusing six named and two-three unnamed. So far, police have detained six persons, including four named in the case.

Petitioner's lawyer Sabrina Zarin told The Daily Star that all the eight accused of the case are now in jail.