Policemen summoned for separating nursing mothers from babies

The High Court has summoned two police officers, including the officer-in-charge of Madaripur police station, over confining two nursing mothers for 13 hours after detaching them from their babies. OC Ziaul Morshed and ASI Md Mahtab have been asked to appear before the court on March 29 with explanations. The inspector general of police has also been asked to submit a probe report on the incident by May 9. The HC bench of Justice Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Justice Mohammad Ullah gave the order on Tuesday after holding a primary hearing in a public interest litigation filed by Supreme Court lawyer Rana Kawser on Monday. The court also issued a ruling, asking why the inhumane detention should not be declared illegal and beyond jurisdiction. The home secretary, IGP, Madaripur superintendent of police and Madaripur police station OC have been asked to respond to the ruling within four weeks. Quoting news reports on the incident, Rana told reporters that on March 12, SI Mahtab Hossain had gone to Lakshmiganj to investigate a case filed over the ownership of a piece of land. The SI inquired one Panir Hossain of the neighbourhood about the disputed land. As Panir said he knew nothing about the land dispute, the SI slapped him. An altercation took place among the police and Panir’s family members. Police in three vehicles joined the SI there later. At one stage, the police dragged Panir’s wife and sister-in-law to the vehicles and took them to the police station. The women were forced to leave behind Panir’s three-month-old infant and his sister-in-law’s 18-month-old infant. Later, around 12am, police released them taking signatures on white paper. The lawyer moved the public interest litigation to the court praying for necessary orders mentioning that such act of the law enforcers was illegal and a violation of human rights.