Follow the HC directive to stop the crime: speakers

The High Court's specific guidelines to prevent sexual harassment of women and children in educational institutions and workplaces are not being properly implemented even after years, speakers said at a discussion yesterday.

They urged the government to follow HC's directives on setting up anti-sexual harassment committees. 

The discussion, titled "High Court Directive to Eliminate Sexual Harassment: Current Situation and What to Do to Implement It," was organised by Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) in the capital.

Speaking as chief guest, ZI Khan Panna, member of BLAST, said everyone is obliged to follow HC's directive on stopping sexual harassment.

This directive applies to all institutions in the country; however, many organisations do not follow it, he added.

BLAST trustee board member Tahmina Rahman said 15 years have passed since the 11-point directive of the HC, but it is still appalling to see that committees for preventing sexual harassment were not formed at all educational institutions and workplaces across the country.

"To this day, an overwhelming majority of government and private institutions have not formed these committees, and sexual harassment complaints in the workplace and educational institutions are still swept under the rug," said Tahmina.

Everyone needs to be more aware of the directives, she added.

Professor Biswajit Chanda, member of University Grants Commission, and Shahnaj Huda, director of Centre for Advanced Legal Studies at University of Dhaka, among others, spoke at the programme.