The High Court on Tuesday summoned the superintendent of police in Cumilla to appear before it on August 12 for failing to comply with its earlier order to submit a progress report on the investigation into the rape of a housewife in Muradnagar.
On June 29, the court had directed the SP to report within 15 days on the probe, as well as to provide safety, protection and treatment to the victim.
However, deputy attorney general Tanim Khan told the court that the SP merely sent an update via WhatsApp鈥攚ithout submitting a formal report.
The bench of Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Sayed Jahed Mansur expressed dissatisfaction and issued the summons.
Lawyer Mir Nurun Noby Uzzal, who filed the writ petition, informed the court that although the video of the assault had been removed from social media as per court order, no formal update on the investigation had been submitted.
The petition was filed with a newspaper report titled 鈥楥ase filed over alleged rape of a woman after breaking into a home on June 29,鈥檖ublished in Prothom Alo.
On June 29, the court also directed the Cumilla DC and SP to ensure the victim鈥檚 safety and access to medical care.
It instructed the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission to remove any video clips of the incident from social media within 24 hours.
The court also issued a rule asking authorities to explain why the disclosure of the victim鈥檚 identity and the viral spread of the video should not be declared illegal and unconstitutional.
Lawyer Nurunnabi condemned the sharing of such content, calling it a violation of human rights and a form of secondary trauma for survivors.
