HC issues rule on NHRC for not responding to rape victim\\\'s appeal

The High Court on Monday issued rules asking National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and its chairman to explain why the commission is silent in initiating legal steps against the person responsible for raping a child. An HC division bench comprising Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Kazi M Ejarul Haque Akondo passed the order after a preliminary hearing on a public interest litigation writ petition (PIL) filed by Bangladesh Children Charity Foundation (BCCF). According to the case statement, a Madrasa female student of class VII at Choddogram in Comilla was violated by a youth last year. A case was filed in connection with the rape on August 30, 2013. Later, the suspected accused was granted bail on February 24 this year from Comilla Nari–O-Shishu Nirjatan Tribunal subject to marrying the victim within two weeks. Meanwhile, the victim denied marrying the accused, an influential member of the locality, and her family made efforts to challenge the tribunal order but failed as they could not collect the certified copy of the bail order due to non-cooperation of the PP and others concerned. At one stage, the victim along with her family left their village for Dhaka to take refuge and sought remedy from the NHRC, but disappointed to get any response despite appeal, according to UNB.