In compliance with an earlier High Court (HC) order asking petitioners in a gang-rape incident in the capital to come up with tentative names who could review existing laws on sexual violence, rights bodies yesterday submitted a list comprising names of 10 members, including Justice Awlad Ali, who will be part of the committee. The HC rule came during a May 25 hearing on a writ petition filed by five rights organisations following the May 21 gang rape of a Garo girl on a moving microbus after being forcibly taken into the vehicle from Jamuna Future Park area.
The HC bench of justices Fahar Mahbub and Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo had asked the petitioners to come up with a list of names they felt fit to be part of a panel of former judges, lawyers and women rights activists who would review the existing laws with a view to bring down incidents of sexual violence and harassment in the country. In response to the petition, the HC also issued a rule asking authorities why the raped girl should not be compensated, and why the people who did not let the girl lodge a complaint should not be brought to book.
Following the HC directive, the rights bodies nominated the names. Besides Justice Awlad Ali, other members include Dr Abul Hossain, Salma Khan, Ayesha Khanam, Dr Anamul Haque, Sultana Kamal, Fawzia Karim Firoze, Shirin Haque, Fastina Ferera and ZI Khan Panna.
Barrister Sarah Hossain later told reporters that the committee will keep the court informed on future cases of harassment of women in the country.