Quamrunnahar
SC seizes Quamrunnahar's judicial power in criminal cases
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.
3 years ago