Photo: Collected
Bangladesh took a decisive step toward tougher justice for women and children on Monday, March 17, as the government granted in-principle approval to amend the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act setting deadlines for probe and trial.
Forest and Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan announced the move after a special meeting chaired by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, signalling a crackdown on delays that have long plagued rape cases.
Speaking at a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy on Bailey Road, Rizwana underscored the urgency. The decision builds on a draft unveiled last week by Legal Adviser Asif Nazrul, who, on March 12, promised to halve investigation and trial times—a response to mounting calls for swift, certain justice.
Asif Nazrul had laid the groundwork at the Secretariat, briefing journalists after consulting anti-rape platform leaders. “We’ve drafted an amendment after two days of talks,” he said then. “It’s circulating now—we aim to tighten it fast.”
The overhaul slashes rape case investigations from 30 to 15 days and trials from 180 to 90 days. Judges can now proceed with medical certificates alone—no DNA required—if they deem it fit, a provision set for online integration. “Trials must be quick, sure, and fair,” Asif Nazrul insisted.
The push follows Monday and Tuesday meetings with stakeholders, reflecting a rare alignment of urgency and action. Hasan’s Monday confirmation at the briefing cemented it: the interim government isn’t just listening—it’s moving. With Yunus at the helm, the amendment promises not just speed but a recalibration of how violence is met with law.
Messenger/JRTarek
