The High Court on Sunday directed the inspector general of police to ensure the completion of the ongoing investigation into the Magura minor girl rape case within 30 days and ordered that the trial be concluded within 180 days.
The bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Debasish Roy Chowdhury issued the directives following a public interest litigation writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyers ABM Hamidul Mishbah and Syed Mohsib Hossain.
The court also ordered the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission chairman and the IGP to remove, within 24 hours, the portrait and video of the rape victim that were circulated on social media and national online media in violation of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal Act, 2000.
Deputy attorney general Tamim Khan informed the court that the process was underway to issue letters to Meta, requesting the central removal of the victims鈥� images and videos from social media platforms.
Section 14 of the Act prohibits the publication of any identifying information about victims of sexual violence.
Additionally, the High Court directed the authorities to take legal action within three days against social media platforms and national dailies that published or broadcast the victim鈥檚 portrait in defiance of the law.
The court further instructed the government to launch awareness campaigns informing the public about legal restrictions on publishing or broadcasting images and videos of women and children involved in sexual assault cases or other crimes.
Furthermore, the High Court ordered probation officers in Magura and Dhaka to ensure, within 24 hours, proper medical treatment, security, and welfare arrangements for the victim and her sister, both of whom are minors.
