A tribunal has asked why legal measures would not be taken against Bengali dailies Jugantor and Samakal for publishing a rape victim’s deposition taken inside a closed courtroom.
Judge Arifur Rahman of Dhaka’s Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-4 on Sunday sent the notice, three days after the Viqarunnisa Noon School and College student testified in the court.
The publishers, news editors and the court correspondents of the dailies were asked to respond by Sept 4.
The tribunal’s order came after hearing the plea of Public Prosecutor Md Forkan Mia, where he said, “The minor’s social status was harmed after the camera trial’s news was published.”
The student had deposed on Aug 22 in a closed courtroom in the presence of defendant Parimal Joydhar, who is the accused for sexually assaulting her.
Samakal and Jugantor published her statement in detail the next day.
The court notice goes to the dailies at a time when many newspapers are facing criticisms for publishing the confessional statement of Oishee Rahman, slain Inspector of Special Branch police Mahfuzur Rahman and his wife Swapna Begum’s daughter, who was arrested, remanded and sent to jail for her alleged involvement in the couple’s murder.
The newspapers on Sunday published Oishee’s statement given to a Dhaka judge on Saturday in his chamber.
Many at a discussion organised by bdnews24.com also said the newspapers were insensitive and irresponsible about running reports on Oishee.
Earlier, in the Viqarunnisa student case, the court had granted a plea of the plaintiff on June 11 that the rape victim’s deposition be taken in the judge’s chamber.
Though law allows for in-camera trials for rape victims, it is hardly in practice.
The defendant, Parimal Joydhar, his lawyer, the victim’s own lawyer and the public prosecutor were also present during her deposition on Aug 22, besides the judge.
The student is the fourth witness to have deposed in this case. She was supposed to testify before the tribunal on July 4 but she fell sick. Her mother testified in court that day.
Bangla teacher Joydhar was fired from Viquarunnisa School’s Basundhara campus after allegations of rape surfaced. He was later arrested and is now being detained in prison for having allegedly raped a student in 2011.
Students of the school were angry over the rape and alleged that then Principal Hosne Ara had sided with Joydhar. They also demanded her removal.
The student’s father filed the case against Joydhar, Hosne Ara and the school’s Bashundhara campus chief Lutfar Rahman on July 5, 2011.
Police filed charges on Aug 14 that year. Joydhar was indicted on Mar 7, 2012, but the other two accused were relieved.
Two days after the case was filed, he was arrested from a house in Keraniganj and reportedly confessed to his crimes on July 11, 2011.
Source: bdnews24