The Supreme Court on Monday withdrew the criminal judicial powers of Mosammat Quamrunnahar, former judge of the Dhaka Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-7, for granting bail to a rape accused despite the court’s stay order on it. A five-member bench of the Appellate Division, led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order when she appeared before the court. Quamrunnahar appeared at the court around 9:20 am. According to court sources, Aslam Shikder, former event manager of a private TV channel, accused in a rape case, was granted bail by a High Court in 2019, which was stayed by a chamber judge until a hearing by the Appellate Division. READ: Judge Kamrunnahar loses judicial power temporarily On March 2, 2020, Quamrunnahar granted bail to Aslam even though the hearing on the case was still pending before the Appellate Division.  Quamrunnahar was asked to appear before the SC on April 2 to explain her granting the bail when the state counsel brought the issue to the court. The SC also asked Aslam to surrender before the lower court. On September 13, 2018, a rape case was filed against Aslam Shikder, former event manager of a private TV channel. On October 14, last year, Dhaka Women and Children Repression Prevention Court-5 acquitted Aslam in the case. But the state appealed against the acquittal before the HC and the hearing is pending,  said Deputy Attorney General Biswajit Debnath on November 15.  Quamrunnahar made headlines early this month for her observation that police should not accept any rape case 72 hours after the offense. It triggered a storm of protests across the country. Then on November 14  Quamrunnahar was asked by the chief justice not to sit in the court. Later, she was attached to the law and justice department of the law ministry. READ: SC directs lower court judges to give decisions publicly Quamrunnhar’s controversial observation came on November 11 when she acquitted all five accused, including Shafat Ahmed, son of Apan Jewellers’ owner, from the charges of raping two girls in Banani’s Raitree hotel in 2017.

Mosammat Kamrunnahar, Judge of the Dhaka Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-7, has been asked not to sit in the court from Sunday morning. However, she has been attached to the law and justice department of the Law Ministry. Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain took the decision in consultation with senior justices of the Supreme Court (SC), revoking her judicial power temporarily, said an SC media release. “As per the directive, Judge Kamrunnahar won’t be allowed to sit in the court from 9:30 am on Sunday,” the release said. Read: Nine new High Court judges take oath However, the SC also sent a letter to the Law Ministry seeking attachment of Judge Kamrunnahar to the Law Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Division after revoking her judicial powers temporarily. The SC issued the press release a day after Law Minister Anisul Haque said he would send a letter to the Chief Justice seeking action against Judge Mosammat Kamrunnahar for making an observation while delivering judgement in the Banani double rape case. Read: Plan to dispose 6 lakh pending cases by 2022: Law Minister Five accused in the sensational Banani Raintree Hotel rape case were acquitted by the court of Judge Mosammat Kamrunnahar. In her judgement on Thursday, Kamrunnahar recommended the police not to accept rape cases 72 hours after the incidence.