How many children, convicted by mobile courts, released from correction centres: HC
High Court today wanted to know how many children -- aged under 12 years -- who were convicted by mobile courts at different times and kept in juvenile correction centres have been released.
The court also sought an information on how many children -- aged between 12 and 18 -- who were convicted by mobile courts and kept in correction centres have been released on bail following its October 31 order.
It asked Deputy Attorney General Bipul Baghmar to provide the information after knowing from the authorities concerned before this court by November 26.
DAG Bipul was also asked to convey status of the children convicted by mobile courts and kept in the correction centres across the country.
The HC bench of Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif and Justice Md Mahmud Hassan Talukder passed the order during hearing a suomoto (voluntary) rule and also fixed November 26 for passing further order on the issue.
On October 31, the bench had issued the rule and ordered the government to immediately release children -- aged under 12 years -- who were convicted by mobile courts and kept in juvenile correction centres across the country.
The court said children [under 12 years] have no understanding of the consequence of offences, and therefore they cannot be convicted by mobile courts and kept in correction centres.
It also granted six months’ bail to children -- aged between 12 and 18 -- who were convicted by mobile courts and kept in the correction centres.
They will be released subject to the satisfaction of the children’s court concerned, after furnishing bail bond, the HC said.
On that day, the bench observed that mobile courts have no jurisdiction to convict or sentence any child for an offence. Only the Shishu Adalot (children’s court) can deal with cases filed against children as per the Children Act-2013, it said while issuing a suomoto (voluntary) rule.
In the rule, it asked the authorities to explain why the conviction of children by mobile courts should not be declared illegal.
The HC bench came up with the order and rule, following a report published in Bangla daily Prothom Alo the same day.
According to the report, mobile courts have illegally jailed 121 children for six months for one year and sent them to juvenile correction centres in Tongi and Jashore.
Barrister Md Abdul Halim and Advocate Ishrat Hasan placed the newspaper report before the HC bench for necessary orders.
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