Detainees in shackles: HC asks why govt should not formulate guideline
The High Court today issued a rule asking the government to explain in four weeks why it should not be directed to formulate a guideline through a committee about imposing bar fetters and handcuffs on the detained accused.
In the rule, the court asked the government to show causes why the law enforcers' actions imposing bar fetters and handcuffs on Ali Azam in Gazipur and Selim Reza in Shariatpur during attending janaza prayers of their mothers on December 20 last year and January 16 respectively should not be declared illegal.
The HC in the rule also asked the authorities to explain why they should not be directed to give adequate compensation to Ali Azam, a local BNP leader, and Selim Reza, a Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal leader, as they were mentally and physically harassed.
Secretaries at the ministries of home and law; inspectors general of the police and prisons; deputy commissioners and superintendents of police of Gazipur and Shariatpur; jailor of Kashimpur jail and officers-in-charge of Kaliakoir and Palong police stations in the districts have been made respondents to the rule.
The HC bench of Justice KM Kamrul Kader and Justice Mohammad Ali issued the rule following a writ petition filed by Supreme Court and BNP's Law Affairs Secretary Kayser Kamal seeking necessary directives.
He submitted the petition on January 24 to the HC saying that government has arbitrarily imposed bar fetters and handcuffs on Ali Azam and Selim Reza to physically and mentality harass them and to make the people panicked, which is illegal and contradictory to the constitution.
The constitution has prohibited any inhumane and degrading behaviour to any person, Kayser Kamal said in the petition.
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