HC to trial courts: Dispose of 139 inmates’ cases by Aug 31

The High Court on Monday ordered the trial courts concerned to dispose of the cases against 139 accused, who have all been in jail for over seven years, by August 31 this year. The High Court bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Shahidul Karim passed the order after hearing a petition in this regard filed by the Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee. Lawyer Chumar Debul Dey moved for the petition on behalf of the accused. He said the respective trial courts were asked to dispose of the cases by August 31 and then inform the High Court Monitoring Committee. The court also asked the Investigation Officers (IOs) of the cases to produce their witnesses before the respective trial courts, and ordered the authorities concerned to take departmental action against those IOs who fail to do so. Deputy Commissioners and superintendents of police of the respective districts were also asked to provide necessary cooperation, Debul added. Earlier, the Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee had sent letters to district jails across Bangladesh, seeking lists of the inmates who are awaiting trial. After receiving the lists, the committee identified a total 139 inmates who have been in jail for at least seven years without their cases having been brought to trial. Subsequently, the committee filed a petition with the High Court seeking a directive for quick disposal of the cases. In the petition, the Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee said that such delays in trial proceedings are a violation of the human rights of inmates.