HC asks why child rapists shouldn't face capital punishment

The High Court has slated the government for its failure to enact a legislation prescribing death penalty for child rapists.

The bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader issued a rule asking why its inaction to that end should not be declared unlawful after hearing a writ petition on Sunday.

It also asked the authorities to explain why a special tribunal should not be formed to swiftly dispose of rape cases.

At the same time, the court sought an explanation as to why it should not compel the government to create a database preserving the DNA of rapists and assist victims through one stop crisis centres in all districts.

The bench also asked why it should not issue an order prohibiting the publication of victims' photographs by the media.

The court ordered the government to institute within a month a commission, led by an additional secretary to the law ministry, tasked with preventing incidents of rape nationwide while assisting and protecting victims. The commission should also include a physician, a judge, a human rights activist, a women's rights activist, a teacher and a journalist, according to the directive.

Supreme Court lawyer Khondokar MS Kausar filed the writ petition after a Dhaka University student was picked up from a footpath and raped in the capital's Kurmitola.

The petition sought for the enactment of a legislation imposing the capital punishment on rapists and the establishment of commission to prevent rapes.