The High Court on Thursday asked mobile court judge Assistant Commissioner (land) Rajia Sultana to submit an explanation why two children were punished under Child Marriage Restraint Act in Atpara upajila of Netrakona district.
The bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim passed the order to submit the explanation by August 26 to the Attorney General’s office and a copy of it to the High Court through the district magistrate.
Meanwhile, the court expressed displeasure over mobile courts passing orders from court chambers stressing the examples of punishing a farmer for killing sparrows in the Barguna and Netrakona incident.
The court said, for the last few months news media are publishing report of magistrates passing mobile court orders long after the incident sitting in court rooms or police stations.
The court said this is not how mobile courts should conduct rather the court has to pass the order being present at the spot according to regulations.
During the hearing, the court suggested the attorney general to talk with the secretary of cabinet division for training up the magistrates.
Attorney General AM Amin Uddin agreeing with the court said soon the cabinet division secretary will be contacted about the matter.
On August 1, the marriage of two 15-year olds, who were involved in a romantic relationship, was held by their families in the Duoj union of the Atpara upazila in Netrakona.
Informed of it, executive Magistrate AC land Rajia Sultana brought the two children to her office and sent them to Gazipur Child Development Centre for one month as punishment.
On August 4, Supreme Court lawyer Md Shihir Monir brought the matter to justice M Enayetur Rahim’s attention by sending a letter through e-mail and asked to release the two children.
Soon after getting the letter the High Court ordered the release of the children.
Meanwhile the district magistrate released the two children after settling the case and asked for an explanation from the executive magistrate Rajia Sultana.
Following which the High Court held a hearing on Thursday where advocate Md Shishir Monir stood for the petitioner and advocate SM Rezaul Karim presented the Bangladesh Legal Aids Services Trust.
Meanwhile Attorney General AM Amin Uddin, Deputy Attorney General Samarendra Nath Biswas and Bipul Bagmar presented the state side.
Source: United News of Bangladesh