Inform about rights to kids in jail with mothers
HC asks govt
The High Court yesterday asked the government to provide information about health, education and nutrition facilities which are given to the children staying with their detained mothers in jails across the country.
In response to a writ petition, the court ordered the officials concerned to inform it in three weeks about the facilities for the children in jails.
Petitioner's counsel Alena Khan told The Daily Star that a total of 321 children were living along with their mothers, who are in jail as under-trial prisoners or convicted accused, till December 31 last year.
The HC bench of Justice Farid Ahmed and Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif also issued a rule upon the officials to explain in three weeks why the alleged violation of fundamental rights of those children should not be declared illegal.
Secretaries of home, social welfare and women and children affairs ministries and inspector general of prisons have been made respondents to the order and the rule.
Bangladesh Human Rights Foundation (BHRF) Chairman Alena Khan filed the writ petition with the HC on March 10 saying that the children living with their mothers in jails are being deprived of the rights to life, education, food and health, and they are treated inhumanly.
The fundamental rights of the children are being violated, which is unlawful, said the petitioner.
Deputy Attorney General Motaher Hossain Saju represented the government.
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