DHAKA: Female magistrate will record statement of rape victim in a bid to ensure fair investigation and justice, says a circular issued by Supreme Court.

SC administration ordered Chief Judicial Magistrate/ Chief metropolitan Magistrate to assign female magistrate to record the statements of rape victim child and woman, said Mohammad Saifur Rahman, special officer of High Court Division of the SC.  

According to the circular issued on April 15 as per order of the Chief Justice and signed by Registrar General of the Supreme Court Dr. Md Zakir Hossain,  the statement of the person who faced such incident will have to be recorded under Article 22 of the Women and Child Repression Prevention Act, 2000. 

“These statements of the rape victims are very importance for the sake of fair investigation and trial of crime. The Special Committee for Judicial Reforms has come to the attention that in some cases, statements of sexually assaulted women or children are being recorded by male magistrate”. 

“Women or children feel embarrassed to describe vicious rape or sexual abuse incidents to a male magistrate. As a result, victims of this kind failed to give details about the incident”. 

To tackle this situation, a female magistrate is required for rape victims to record their statements. In this, women and children will be able to describe the incident easily and without any hesitation.

“In these circumstances, Chief Judicial Magistrate/ Chief metropolitan Magistrate were asked to assign female magistrate to record the statements of rape victim child and woman” it also read.

If a woman magistrate is not working in the district or in the city, then any other competent magistrate can be assigned for this, the circular added.  

“People concerned have been asked to bring the matter to the Supreme Court, if there is any problem or difficulty in following the instruction given in the circular." 

BDST: 1533 HRS, APR 16, 2019
RS/SMS