HC inquires about courtrooms that use iron cages to hold the accused

The High Court today wanted to know specifically about the courtrooms in the country where iron cages are still used to keep the accused during case proceedings.

The court gave the order as Deputy Attorney General Md Tanim Khan verbally informed the HC bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Debasish Roy Chowdhury that iron cages have been removed from some courtrooms.

The HC bench directed the law secretary to submit in four weeks the names of the courtrooms where iron cages are still in place. The bench passed the order during hearing of a writ petition involving this issue.

Additionally, it set February 10 for further hearing of the petition.

In February last year, another HC bench issued a rule asking the government to explain why they should not be directed to remove the metal cages from the courtrooms and to reestablish wooden docks in courtrooms throughout the country.

The HC bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Atabullah had issued the rule following a petition filed by 10 Supreme Court lawyers on January 22, 2024.

Advocate Mohammad Shishir Manir, on behalf of the 10 lawyers, had submitted the petition and requested the HC to direct the law secretary to submit a report providing a list of courtrooms throughout the country where the metal cages have been installed.

The accused persons are imprisoned in an iron cage in open court before their trial and the presumption of innocence is being violated, which is also against existing laws of the country and established international norms, the petitioners said.

Putting someone in an iron cage in front of the court is nothing but humiliation and mental torture, they added.