‘Implementation is long overdue’
The directives included the launching of a website so that complainants can lodge their complaints online, ensuring the full-time presence of female police personnel in every police station, making a visible list of female social workers from whom assistance can be taken in all police station. However, these have not been followed properly.
Although the government amended several laws discriminatory to women and the High Court in recent years gave some important directives to protect women's rights, the provisions must be implemented accordingly, speakers said at an event yesterday.
For example, as the government very recently abolished sections 155 (4) and amended 146(3) of the Evidence Act of 1872, to stop the character assassinations of sexual violence survivors, digital evidence in the same line can still be produced in courts to raise questions on the victims' and witnesses, they said.
They made the remarks at the view exchange meeting, titled "High Court's directives to eliminate discrimination against women: way forward to implement those", organised by Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), in the capital's Bishwo Shahitto Kendro yesterday.
Speakers also said actors in the justice sector, including defence lawyers, judges and violence survivors must know about these amendments.
BLAST's lawyer advocate Ayesha Akter said the amendments are not enough if they are not implemented properly.
Following the rape of a woman on May 21, 2018, the HC directed that sexual harassment or any other such incidents can be filed with any police station, no matter whether the incident takes place under its jurisdiction or not, said barrister Sharmin Akter.
The HC issued an 18-point directive over the investigation into rape incidents and filing cases, asking police to follow them until a specific law is formulated in this regard, she said.
"The directives included the launching of a website so that complainants can lodge their complaints online, ensuring the full-time presence of female police personnel in every police station, making a visible list of female social workers from whom assistance can be taken in all police station. However, these have not been followed properly," she said.
Moreover, although the HC prohibited the controversial "two-finger test" -- conducted for the rape victims to prove the rape -- on grounds that the test has no scientific and legal merit, this medico-legal examination is still ongoing in some cases, she added.
Advocate Ainoon Nahar Siddiqui said the High Court ruled that the word "Kumari (virgin)" cannot be used before the name of the bride in Kabinnama -- the Muslim marriage deed.
"Women must be aware of this. Because the provision of column five of Kabinnama is contradictory to the rights of women's privacy. It is also discriminatory towards them," she said.
"The court also directed that the marital status of the groom -- unmarried, widower or divorced -- have to be mentioned before the name of the bridegroom in the Kabinnama," she said.
ZI Khan Panna, chairperson of Ain O Salish Kendra, said women must be strong and optimistic to protect their rights.
The event was moderated by Supreme Court lawyer Md Tajul Islam.
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