The High Court yesterday directed the government and law enforcement agencies to take immediate measures to protect the minorities across the country.
It ruled that immediate steps be taken to protect the life, property and dignity of the minority citizens by deploying forces not only to the specified districts of Dhaka, Natore, Jessore, Dinajpur, Gaibandha, Satkhira, Jhalokati, Tangail, Bogra, Pirojpur, Chandpur and Netrokona but also all over the country, wherever the minority citizens were vulnerable.
The bench of Justice Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Justice ABM Altaf Hossain also directed the IGP to submit a report within seven days as to what measures so far taken to protect the minority people and vulnerable groups, and also against those directly or indirectly responsible for the atrocities.
The ruling also said it was quite apparent that the law enforcement agencies seriously failed to protect the interest of the citizens, specially the minority community and the vulnerable groups, that prompted the court to pass the order.
Supreme Court lawyer PC Guha drew the attention of the bench by submitting the media reports that said after the 10th parliamentary poll on January 5 atrocities upon the minorities in different areas were still continuing.
He said none had ever got punishment in Bangladesh for making attacks on the minorities.
The court also issued a rule seeking explanation as to why it should not be directed to take immediate steps to protect the interest of minority communities and other vulnerable groups.
It also came up with the ruling as to why the citizens who were already victimised and who had lost their life, liberty, dignity, and property should not be compensated.
Home secretary, IGP, director general of Rab, deputy commissioners of the twelve districts were asked to reply within two weeks.
The High Court directed Deputy Attorney General Biswojit Roy to communicate the order to the respondents at once.
It also directed the relevant department to communicate the order to the respondents and the media.
The court fixed January 26 for further order on the issue.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Ainjibi Oikya Parishad held a human chain on the Supreme Court Bar Association premises protesting the attack on the minorities.
At the programme, Momtaz Uddin Mehedi, a member of central executive committee of Awami League, admitted that the government had failed to protect the minorities.