The High Court (HC) has directed authorities concerned to take necessary measures to stop the spreading of rumors and mob lynching
The bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman came up with the order on Sunday after hearing on a rule on this regard.
Advocate Ishrat Hassan stood for the writ.
The five point directives are- Every circle assistant super of police (ASP) will conduct at least one meeting in six months with officers in charge of every police station. The Home Ministry will continue its awareness program in electronics media against mob lynching and spreading of rumors. The Home ministry will take necessary actions to stop any kind of audio, video, message (text),that can spread rumors and in turn lead to mob lynching. Whenever any incident of mob lynching happens, officer in charge of that area at first will write a first information report (FIR) and then inform the police super.
Lastly, Dhaka district education officer will take necessary actions against the principal of North Badda Primary School in connection with killing of Taslima Begum Renu in a mob lynching incident.
On August 26, last year, the High Court asked the government why its inaction to protect Renu and other victims of lynching incidents across Bangladesh should not be declared illegal.
Advocate Ishrat Hasan filed the writ petition with the High Court on July 28, 2019.
The writ sought Tk5 crore compensation for the family of Taslima Begum Renu. Renu was lynched by a mob in Badda on suspicion of being a child abductor on July 20, 2019.
The issued ruling also asked why directives should not be given to take effective measures to save lives from lynching.
The secretaries of the Cabinet, Home Ministry, Law Ministry and Information Ministry, along with the Inspector General of police (IGP), Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner, and the officer-in-charge of Badda police station, were made respondents in the writ.
According to media reports, more than 50 innocent people had died in lynching incidents at that time.