Female magistrates will now record statements of rape victims: SC

Female magistrates will now record statements of female and child victims of rapes, sexual harassments, the Supreme Court administration has said in a notice, reports bdnews24.com.

The top court ordered the government to follow the circular issued on Tuesday.

The order came after a series of harassment incidents against women and allegations of sexual misconduct against a police station chief while recording a statement of Nusrat Jahan Rafi, a Feni madrasa student.

"The chief justice approved the decision taken by the Supreme Court's Special Committee for Judicial Reforms. Later, the Supreme Court registrar general issued a notice on the decision," said High Court Special Officer Mohammad Saifur Rahman.

The statement of a person for any offence committed under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act 2000 is recorded in line with the law's Section 22. The statement recorded for the sake of a fair investigation and trial of crimes attaches great importance, according to the notice.

To address such situation, a female magistrate must record the statements from the victims so that they can narrate the incidents without any hesitation, it said.