The High Court on Sunday asked the government to form a commission within 30 days under the Law Ministry to stop rape and violence against women.

The HC bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahsan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader came up with order after hearing a writ filed in the form of public interest litigation (PIL).

It ordered constitution of the commission, led by an additional secretary of the ministry, comprising representatives from lawyers, judges, human rights activists, renowned personalities, media persons, physicians and victims if any victim agrees.

The HC also asked the commission to be formed to make recommendations within the next six months on how to stop rape incidents.

Meanwhile, the court issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain as to why rapists should not be awarded capital punishment if the rape victim is under 16.

Besides, it wanted to know in the rule why government’s inaction to drop life imprisonment provision alongside the capital punishment in case of death in rape incident should not be declared illegal.

It also sought why directives would not be given to enact law for protection of witnesses in rape cases, create database to save rapists DNA samples, ensure protection to victims through the one-stop crisis centre in every district, remain alert in publishing photos of victims in media, form separate court for rape trial and resolve rape cases as early as possible.

Barrister Rabeya Bhuiyan stood for the writ petitioner and deputy attorney general barrister ABM Abdullah Al Mahmud Bashar represented the state.

Rabeya Bhuiyan filed the writ last week.

Police on Saturday night arrested the main suspect in connection with the murder of Bangladesh Chhatra League’s (BCL) Chattogram city unit leader Sudipta Biswas from Ispahani intersection in Khulshi area.

The arrestee is Md Jahedur Rahman Jahed.

Pranab Chowdhury, officer-in-charge of Khulshi Police Station, said a police patrol team chased Jahed and his followers after they attacked police and hurled brickbats in the area around 11:30pm.

Jahed was arrested while others managed to escape, the OC said, adding that three policemen were injured during the incident.  

The injured policemen are – Sub-Inspector Anwar Hossain, Assistant Sub-Inspector Ratan and Constable Md Monir.

According to local sources, Jahed was involved with the politics of local Jubo League and a follower of Lalkhan Bazar ward unit Awami League General Secretary Didarul Alam Masum, who is in jail in Sudipta murder case.

Sudipta, 26, son of Babul Biswas of Sadarghat area and assistant general secretary of BCL’s city unit, was beaten to death by miscreants in Dakkhin Nalapara area of the city on October 6, 2017.

The Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) on Thursday pressed charges against four people over the murder of housewife Sagira Morshed Salam, who was killed 30 years ago in front of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College in the city.

PBI Inspector M Rafiqul Islam, also investigation officer of the case, submitted a charge-sheet before the Court of Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate in the afternoon.

The charge-sheeted accused are victim’s bother-in-law (Husband’s elder brother) Dr Hasan Ali Chowdhury, 70, his wife Sayedatul Mahmuda Shahin, 64, Shaheen's brother Anas Mahmud Rezwan ,59, and hired killer Maruf Reza, 59.

Earlier in the day, PBI chief Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of police Banaj Kumar Majumder said they finalised the charge-sheet.

While briefing reporters at the PBI headquarters, he said four people were arrested in connection with the murder.

The arrestees gave confessional statements before a court here over their involvement in the killing, the PBI chief added.

He said Sagira was killed due to jealousy of her elder sister-in-law Sayedatul Mahmuda Shahin.

Sagira was shot to death in broad daylight on July 25, 1989 in the capital's Bailey Road area when she was going to Vikarunnesa School by a rickshaw to fetch her daughter.

Sagira’s husband Abdus Salam Chowdhury filed a murder case against some unknown people with Ramna Police Station the same day.

But the trial proceedings of the case remained stayed for 28 years following a High Court order.

Finally, the PBI got the task to investigate the murder on July 17 last as an HC bench ordered further investigation vacating the stay order.

A court here on Thursday sentenced three people to death for their roles in killing a young man in 2015.

Eight others were jailed for five years.

The court of Gaibandha District and Sessions Judge Dilip Kumar Bhowmik fined the convicts Tk 1 lakh each.

Those who have been sentenced to death are – Shahriar Sarker Ridoy, Rakibul Hasan Sajib and Mahmudul Hasan Zakir.

Other convicts are – Masud Prodhan Sujon, Al Amin Islam, Rabeya Begum, Al Amin, Shimul Mia, Runa Begum, Jahangir Alam and Joynal Abedin.

According to case details, the convicts called Ashiqur Rahman Shammo out of his house on September 24, 2015 and killed him. Shammo was the only son of Gobindaganj Mayor Ataur Rahman.

Political vengeance was the motive, Rahman said. He filed a case against 11 people the next day with Gobindganj police. 

After prolonged investigation, Officer-in-Charge Mojibor Rahman pressed charges against the accused in court. 

A court here on Wednesday fixed January 21 to accept the charges in the case over the murder of Buet student Abrar Fahad.

Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Court Judge KM Imrul Kayes fixed the date, said Additional Public Prosecutor Tapos Kumar Pal.

On Monday, the case was shifted to the Dhaka Metropolitan Session Judges Court.

Morshed Amartya Islam, a fugitive accused in the case, surrendered before the court on Sunday while the court sent him to jail.

On December 3 last, a court here ordered confiscation of the property of four fugitive accused in the killing case.

Three other fugitives are Morsheduzzaman Jishan, Mustafa Rafid and Ehtashamul Rabbi Tanim, students of Buet (Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology).

On January 5 last, the court instructed the police to publish ads in newspapers asking the four fugitives to appear before the court, saying that the trial will begin in their absence if they do not turn up on January 13.

On November 18 last, the court accepted the charge-sheet against 25 accused and issued a warrant for the arrest of the four fugitives in the case.

Also read: Abrar murder case ready for trial

Abrar Fahad, 21, a second-year student of electrical and electronic engineering of Buet, was beaten to death reportedly by Bangladesh Chhatra League leaders at Sher-e-Bangla Hall of the university.

He was found dead on the staircase of the hall in the early hours of October 7 after he was taken to room No-2011 around 8pm on October 6 and beaten mercilessly.