DHAKA,  – The High Court (HC) today issued a seven-point directive for quick disposal of rape cases across the country.

A High Court division bench comprising Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman issued the directives, asking the judges of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunals to take necessary steps to complete in six months the trials of cases filed for rape and murder after rape.

The court asked the tribunals to continue the trial proceedings on every working day continuously till the disposal of the case.

The High Court ordered to form a monitoring committee in each of the districts comprising additional district magistrate, additional superintendant of police (administration), a representative of civil surgeon and a public prosecutor of the concerned tribunal to ensure the presence of witnesses on the scheduled dates and their security.

The monitoring committee will be held accountable if the prosecution fails to produce witnesses on the scheduled dates without any valid reason.

The monitoring committee will also monitor whether that the summons against witnesses are being issued quickly.

The court further said after getting summoned for appearing on the scheduled date, if any official witness like magistrate, police, doctor or any other official fails to appear without any satisfactory reason, the tribunal will recommend taking departmental action against that official, even stopping his salary may be considered, if necessary.

Observing that the immediate formulation of Witness Protection Act is necessary, the High Court hoped that the government would make this law within a short time.

The court ordered giving copies of this directive to Secretary of Public Security Division of Ministry of Home Affairs, Law Secretary and Supreme Court Registrar General for taking necessary steps in implementing the directions.