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Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- A dedicated High Court bench will be established to hear death references and appeals in cases involving crimes against women and children.
- The new bench's creation was requested by Attorney General Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal and supported by senior lawyers.
- This move addresses growing concerns over the slow disposal of death reference cases and appeals related to crimes against minors.
The Chief Justice, Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, will establish a specialized High Court bench to expedite death references and appeals in cases concerning crimes against women and children. This initiative aims to address the significant delays currently plaguing the judicial process for such sensitive cases.
Attorney General Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal formally requested the Chief Justice to form the dedicated bench. His proposal received strong backing from senior lawyers Prabir Neogi and Md Salahuddin Dolon, with approximately 200 lawyers present in the courtroom reportedly endorsing the idea. The collective support underscores the urgency felt within the legal community.
A death reference is a mandatory legal procedure where a trial court's death sentence is sent to the High Court for confirmation before execution. Convicted individuals also retain the right to appeal their sentences. The establishment of this new bench, which begins functioning immediately, is expected to streamline these critical processes, particularly in high-profile cases like that of child Ramisa Akter, whose perpetrators were recently sentenced to death.
Senior lawyers Prabir Neogi and Md Salahuddin Dolon also supported my proposal, and around 200 lawyers present in the courtroom apparently agreed with me.
Originally published by Daily Star. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.