Chairman of National Human Rights Commission Professor Mizanur Rahman said the trial of Oishee Rahman, accused of killing her parents, should be conducted under the Children Act enacted in 2013, not under the 1974 law.
Mizanur Rahman was speaking at a round table conference held at a local restaurant on Monday. NHRC and Relief International jointly organised the programme.
Mizanur Rahman said trial of a child should be conducted through the rules enacted by the government for the trial of accused children, which is why he had protested the police remand of Oishee, which he said was a procedural error.
“But I am not against the trial of Oishee,” he said.
The chairman said if Oishee had killed her parents then she must be punished, but the trial should be conducted through the rules enacted by the government.
As the law for punishment of child criminals has been signed and approved, it should be applied to Oishee’s case, he said.
“In many countries, trial is conducted even through draft laws,” Mizanur said.
“Since we want to prove ourselves civilised, the trial of Oishee should be conducted through the revised law enacted in 2013,” he added.
He said, in a country where there is no minimum rule of law, it is not possible for any single state, society or any institution to establish human rights.
It is the responsibility of all people and that is why everyone should come forward in this respect.
The round table conference was attended, among others, by Deputy Commissioner of Rajshahi Mesbauddin Chowdhury, Superintendent of Police of Rajshahi Alamgir Kabir.