The High Court has asked National Human Rights Commission to explain its failure to come to the aid of a ‘child rape victim’.
The bench of justices Farah Mahbub and Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo has asked the commission to answer it within Oct 7.
After a preliminary hearing on a writ plea on Monday, the bench issued a ruling asking why the NHRC’s inaction should not be declared illegal.
The commission’s argument that murder, rape and acid attacks at the individual level did not constitute “violation of human rights” was also questioned.
The NHRC chairman, commission secretary and home secretary have been asked to respond to the ruling within four weeks.
Abdul Halim represented petitioner Hasina Akter while Deputy Attorney General Amatul Karim stood for the state.
Halim said the child was ‘raped’ on Aug 30 last year. A case was filed with the district’s women and children repression prevention tribunal soon afterwards.
The victim fled to Dhaka after the accused got out on bail on Feb 14 this year.
“She applied to the commission twice, on April 3 and May 18, to get a copy of the bail order. But the commission did not respond,” Halim said.
The lawyer in a media release claimed the commission’s 2011 annual report said offences like rape or murder could not be considered human rights violation by the state if they were not committed by government organisations or any of its officials.
Source: Bd news24
