The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The High Court Sunday directed the government to set up both civil and criminal judge courts, run by judicial officers, in Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban for implementing the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Regulation (Amendment) Act 2003. A division bench of the High Court also ordered the government to establish tribunals for preventing repression on women and children in the three hill districts.

The bench comprising Justice ABM Khairul Haque and Justice Abdul Awal delivered the judgment after a lengthy hearing on a public interest litigation (PIL) writ filed by Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST).

The bench asked the government to comply with its orders as soon as possible within a year.

The judgment noted that as the CHT districts are integral part of Bangladesh, the people of the hill districts have access to get justice before the court like any other districts of the country. BLAST, a human rights watchdog, filed the PIL writ demanding direction to implement the provisions of CHT Regulation (Amendment) Act 2003 and Section 26 of Nari O Shishu Nirjaton Daman Ain-2000 in the three hill districts, following functioning of judges' courts and tribunals in all districts excepting the CHT districts. On February 2 in 2006, the High Court, responding to the PIL, had issued a rule upon the government in this regard. Soon after the judgment, Idrisur Rahman, a counsel for BLAST, told UNB that the people of Chittagong Hill Tracts virtually had no access to justice since independence of Bbangladesh. There are court buildings at Khagrachhari, Rangamati and Bandarban district headquarters, but still no district and sessions judges there, he said.

Adv Idris further said the CHT Regulation 1900 (Amendment) Act was enacted on September 21, 2003 making mandatory provisions for establishment of civil and criminal courts (district and sessions judge's court) in the three CHT districts. The amended law, however, is yet to be given effect despite sufferings of about 14 lakh people of the CHT.

Adv Idrisur Rahman was assisted by Dr Shahdeen Malik, Protikar Chakma and Amatul Karim, while assistant Attorney General Zafar Imam stood for the government.