Writ Petition to Implement Sexual Harassments Guidelines Given by HC

A writ petition has been filed in the High Court seeking implementation of the High Court's directive to prevent sexual harassment of women and children in all government and non-government institutions of the country, including academies.

Lawyer Mohammad Shahinuzzaman said on Thursday (October 21) that the writ petition was filed on behalf of the Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK).

On August 7, 2008, Advocate Salma Ali, Executive Director of the Bangladesh National Women Lawyers Association, filed public interest litigation in the High Court seeking directions to prevent sexual harassment of women and children in the workplace and on campus. Following the hearing, the High Court gave its verdict on May 14, 2009.

In the verdict, the court had given various directions including the Committee for Prevention of Sexual Harassment to accept allegations of sexual harassment in all institutions including educational institutions, government and non-government institutions. But after a lapse of time, the law and arbitration center has filed a writ petition in the High Court as the verdict has not been implemented.

The petition seeks to issue a rule as to why the inaction and failure of the defendants in the execution of the writ petition should not be illegal and why instructions should not be given in the execution of the judgment. Besides, instructions have been sought to submit a report on the implementation of the verdict.

In the writ petition, thesecretaries of 40 ministries including public administration and the registrar general of the Supreme Court have been made respondents.