Finish trial, submit report by Mar 31 next year: HC

The High Court yesterday directed the Nari O Shishu Nirjatan Daman Tribunal of Dinajpur to finish trial proceedings of the case filed for the abduction and rape of a five-year-old in the district in 2016 and submit a compliance report to this court by March 31 next year.

Issuing a voluntary order, the HC asked the local police to produce witnesses of the case to the tribunal on the dates scheduled for hearing.

The bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman ordered the Dinajpur tribunal to prosecute the public prosecutor concerned of the case if he does not play a proper role to finish the trial.

The HC also ordered the officials concerned of the district to take necessary steps to ensure proper treatment of the child at government cost.

The bench came up with the directives on a suomuto move following an article published by rights organisation "Amrao Pari (We Can)" on an online portal -- Women Chapter -- on November 22, describing the miserable conditions of the child and her family.

Panel lawyer of the rights body Ataullah Nurul Kabir Nayan placed the article before the HC bench yesterday for necessary orders on the issue.

On October 18, 2016, the child was abducted, raped and tortured. Her father filed a case \with Parbatipur Police Station on October 20, 2016. According to the case statement, the prime accused Saiful Islam and his accomplices left her in an unconscious state on a turmeric field after raping her overnight. She was stabbed with sharp objects and had cigarette burns in several places of her body.

The child is still very sick as she has been suffering from urine infection, the lawyer said. Accused Saiful Islam is now in jail while another accused Md Afzal Hossain is out on bail, he added.