HC rules over confinement of death convicts in condemned cell

The High Court on Tuesday issued a rule asking the government bodies concerned to explain as to why the confinement of the death row convicts in the death cell or condemned cell before attaining finality of their sentence by the judicial and administrative forums shall not be declared to have been done without lawful authority.
It also wanted to know in the rule to explain as to why the Rule 980 of the Bangladesh Jail Code relating to the confinement of death row inmates in condemned cell should not be declared unconstitutional.
Secretary of the Security Services Division of the Home Ministry, Secretary of the Law and Justice Division of the Law Ministry, IGP, IG of Prisons, and Senior Jail Supers of Chattogram Central Jail, Sylhet Central Jail and Cumilla Central Jail have been asked to comply with the rule in four weeks.
The High Court bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Ahmed Sohel passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed by three death convicts who are now in condemned cells in different jails.

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