Speakers at a two-day conference on “Violence Against Women” yesterday said it would be convenient if the government appointed female personnel to help female victims in seeking justice.
Additional Attorney General MK Rahman said: “If female police officials investigate the cases filed under Women & Children Repression Prevention Act, female doctors examine them, female lawyers help them on the dock, the justice seekers would feel more comfortable in the social context of our country.”
Addressing the inaugural session of the conference organised jointly by Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and UNDP’s Justice Sector Facility project at a city hotel, MK Rahman made the comment.
He also said the defence lawyers and also the investigation officers should be trained to be soft on the female victims, while the investigation officers should be make bound by law to keep contact with public prosecutors so that no female victim was deprive of justice.
The conference aims at working with the commitment to address such issues through the project’s goals to ensure delivery of better justice services for women and other vulnerable groups.
Addressing the programme, Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain said: “Our judiciary has always been highly sensitised about the rights, liberties and status of women under the international covenants and treaties ratified by Bangladesh and those under the constitution and laws of Bangladesh.
“Special and exclusive court/tribunals with special procedural laws have been established in each district to deal with women rights and violence against women. We still have to go a long way.”
Deputy Country Director Nick Beresford of the UNDP said they would help Bangladesh improve delivery of justice and develop a gender oriented police force.
Among others ASSM Zahirul Haque, secretary in charge of law and justice division, Additional Inspector General of Police Nazmul Haque were also present.
