Dhaka: The High Court Wednesday ordered the police to ensure safety of the fatwa victim young girl who was subjected to an agonizing 101 lashes of whip as extra-judicial punishment as per edicts of clerics at Bancharampur of Brahmanbaria.

Earlier, the 17-year-old girl was brought before the court where she confirmed the incident of fatwa against her.

The HC bench of justices Sayed Mahmud Hossain and Gobinda Chandra Thakur recoded her statement and ordered the SP of Brahmanbaria and the OC of Bancharampur to ensure her safety.

Earlier on May 24, the same bench of the High Court issued a rule asking the government to explain within a week why such extra-judicial punishment through fatwa and Islamic Sharia law “should not be declared illegal”.

The order came on a writ petition filed by three Supreme Court lawyers—barrister Mahbub Shafique, Advocate KM Hafizul Alam and barrister Emranul Hye--following a report published in a daily on May 22 on the issue.

After the hearing on the case, the High Court also had directed the deputy commissioner of Brahmanbaria to submit an investigation report on the incident of fatwa against the woman of Bancharampur upazila before this court within seven days.

Getting no reply within one week, the High Court Wednesday asked the attorney-general office to give reply Thursday.

BST 1712 HRS, June 2, 2010
JA/RZ/MMK/ARF/SMS/MUA