79 acid attack cases to reopen
Friday, 6 June 2008
Home Adviser MA Matin Thursday called for 79 separate acid attack cases to be reopened due to concern over persistent failure to secure any conviction, reports bdnews24.com.
At a meeting with the law-enforcement agencies and NGO workers at the Secretariat, the adviser expressed concern that up to 70 per cent of the accused in acid attack cases received bail. He asked the authorities to review the bail orders.
"The police gave final reports in 79 cases out of 180 that were filed in 2007, although nobody was charged," the adviser told the reporters after the meeting. "Why could the charges never be proved when the incidents obviously took place," said Matin.
He added that acid violence had increased alarmingly throughout the country in recent years. The home ministry also asked the deputy commissioners (DCs) to supply comprehensive lists of both the licensed and unlicensed acid-users in the country.
The demand follows an earlier directive by the government to the DCs to submit the lists, although only 32 of them complied.
At a meeting with the law-enforcement agencies and NGO workers at the Secretariat, the adviser expressed concern that up to 70 per cent of the accused in acid attack cases received bail. He asked the authorities to review the bail orders.
"The police gave final reports in 79 cases out of 180 that were filed in 2007, although nobody was charged," the adviser told the reporters after the meeting. "Why could the charges never be proved when the incidents obviously took place," said Matin.
He added that acid violence had increased alarmingly throughout the country in recent years. The home ministry also asked the deputy commissioners (DCs) to supply comprehensive lists of both the licensed and unlicensed acid-users in the country.
The demand follows an earlier directive by the government to the DCs to submit the lists, although only 32 of them complied.