Fatwa report brushed aside
Rangpur Superintendent of Police Saleh Mohammad Tanvir yesterday said no one in Rangpur police tried to implement any 'fatwa' (edict) to compel women to wear veil.
Rangpur police did not even impose any restriction on men and women's walking together at parks or other places, he said at a press briefing at his conference room.
The SP's briefing was arranged against the backdrop of media reports on Tuesday and Wednesday on alleged 'fatwa' by police about women's wearing veils.
On Tuesday, a few national dailies ran reports that Detective Branch (DB) of police in Rangpur instructed women to wear veil and DB police led by Sub-inspector (SI) Golam Minhaj picked up 19 men and women from Rangpur Zoo and Surovi Udyan on charge of anti-social activities on Monday.
Three lawyers of the High Court on Tuesday filed a writ petition and an HC bench issued a rule prohibiting any fatwa to compel any woman to wear veil.
The HC also issued notice against the home secretary, inspector general of police, and deputy commissioner and police superintendent of Rangpur district to show cause about why action should not be taken against the concerned policemen after investigation.
The HC bench asked SI Golam Minhaj to appear before the court by April 4.
Police had information that men and women in pairs often met at Rangpur Zoo and Surovi Udyan and did unsocial activities there, the SP said at the briefing.
Besides, several guardians complained that school and college going boys and girls used to date at these places escaping their classes, he said.
“Following the complaints, a team of DB police led by Golam Minhaj raided the zoo and the park in Rangpur town and picked up 19 men and woman on Monday. After questioning, they were released from the DB office in the afternoon,” the SP said.
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