High Court asks why five 'anti-abortion clauses' in penal code should not be revoked | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Home
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Book Review
    • Brands
    • Earth
    • Explorer
    • Fact Check
    • Family
    • Food
    • Game Reviews
    • Good Practices
    • Habitat
    • Humour
    • In Focus
    • Luxury
    • Mode
    • Panorama
    • Pursuit
    • Wealth
    • Wellbeing
    • Wheels
  • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • Videos
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • COVID-19
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Tuesday
May 30, 2023

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Home
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Book Review
    • Brands
    • Earth
    • Explorer
    • Fact Check
    • Family
    • Food
    • Game Reviews
    • Good Practices
    • Habitat
    • Humour
    • In Focus
    • Luxury
    • Mode
    • Panorama
    • Pursuit
    • Wealth
    • Wellbeing
    • Wheels
  • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • Videos
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • COVID-19
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
  • বাংলা
TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2023
High Court asks why five 'anti-abortion clauses' in penal code should not be revoked

Court

TBS Report
18 August, 2020, 10:10 pm
Last modified: 18 August, 2020, 10:29 pm

Related News

  • Tk227cr claim by ex-CEO: HC rejects Robi Axiata's revision petition
  • Appellate Division upholds DU Bangla department's directive to keep students' faces, ears uncovered
  • HC releases full text of judgment against UNO's job as upazila CEO
  • BGB can file criminal case from now on: HC
  • Why Liberation War minister should be Freedom Fighters Council chairman, asks HC

High Court asks why five 'anti-abortion clauses' in penal code should not be revoked

TBS Report
18 August, 2020, 10:10 pm
Last modified: 18 August, 2020, 10:29 pm
High Court asks why five 'anti-abortion clauses' in penal code should not be revoked

The High Court on Tuesday issued a rule asking the authorities concerned, including the law secretary and Supreme Court's registrar general, to explain within four weeks why five "anti-abortion clauses" in the penal code should not be revoked and declared illegal. 

The High Court bench of Justice Tariq-ul-Hakim and SM Kuddus Zaman issued the rule after hearing a writ on this issue. 

Lawyer Syeda Nasrin filed the writ. Deputy Attorney General Amit Das Gupta represented the state during the hearing. 

"The five clauses of penal code consider abortion illegal and punishable offence," Syeda Nasrin said. 

She said most doctors and nurses do not want to do abortions in fear of a lawsuit. That is one reason why people wish that abortion needs to go to the houses of local doctors or nurses. 

"This sometimes leads to other health complications. It increases the risk of women developing cancer," she added.

Syeda Nasrin further said the number of street children and those in orphanages is increasing due to this. These clauses also do not have any facilities for the rape victims. 

"In many families, women are conceiving, and they have to give birth to children due to these clauses. These are the reasons why I filed the writ challenging the clauses," she further said. 

Clause 312 of penal code states, "Whoever voluntarily causes a woman with child to miscarry, shall, if such miscarriage be not caused in good faith for the purpose of saving the life of the woman, be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both; and, if the woman be quick with child, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine."

Clause 313 states, "Whoever commits the offence defined in the last preceding section without the consent of the woman, whether the woman is quick with child or not, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine."

Clause 314 states, "Whoever, with intent to cause the miscarriage of a woman with child, does any act which causes the death of such woman, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine."

Clause 315 says, "Whoever before the birth of any child does any act with the intention of thereby preventing that child from being born alive or causing it to die after its birth, and does by such act prevent that child from being born alive, or causes it to die after its birth, shall, if such act be not caused in good faith for the purpose of saving the life of the mother, be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, or with fine, or with both."

Clause 316 says, "Whoever does any act under such circumstances, that if he thereby caused death he would be guilty of culpable homicide, and does by such act cause the death of a quick unborn child, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.

"A, knowing that he is likely to cause the death of a pregnant woman, does an act which, if it caused the death of the woman, would amount to culpable homicide. The woman is injured but does not die; but the death of a quick unborn child with which she is pregnant thereby caused. A is guilty of the offence defined in this section."

Bangladesh / Top News

High Court / Abortion law

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Priority on fighting inflation, funding projects
    Priority on fighting inflation, funding projects
  • Private credit growth hits 13-month low in April
    Private credit growth hits 13-month low in April
  • DSA may scare away potential investors: UN special rapporteur
    DSA may scare away potential investors: UN special rapporteur

MOST VIEWED

  • Photo: Collected
    Tarique-Zubaida graft case: 3 witnesses testify before court
  • Khaleda Zia, chairperson and leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Photo: Salahuddin Ahmed/TBS
    Indictment hearing in Khaleda's coal mine graft case 13 July
  • Cox's Bazar VAT commissioner summoned to explain why he takes bribes instead of VAT
    Cox's Bazar VAT commissioner summoned to explain why he takes bribes instead of VAT
  • Tk227cr claim by ex-CEO: HC rejects Robi Axiata's revision petition
    Tk227cr claim by ex-CEO: HC rejects Robi Axiata's revision petition
  • Photo: Collected
    Appellate Division upholds DU Bangla department's directive to keep students' faces, ears uncovered
  • Photo: TBS
    8 sentenced to death for Laxmipur Chhatra League leader murder

Related News

  • Tk227cr claim by ex-CEO: HC rejects Robi Axiata's revision petition
  • Appellate Division upholds DU Bangla department's directive to keep students' faces, ears uncovered
  • HC releases full text of judgment against UNO's job as upazila CEO
  • BGB can file criminal case from now on: HC
  • Why Liberation War minister should be Freedom Fighters Council chairman, asks HC

Features

An exquisite symphony of flavours awaits in the heart of Old Dhaka, as this vegetarian ensemble takes centre stage, showcasing the rich heritage of traditional cuisine. Photo: Noor-A-Alam

Jagannath Bhojonaloy: Vegetarianism, the traditional way

19h | Food
Inside Airbus's mega plan to develop the aviation ecosystem in Bangladesh

Inside Airbus's mega plan to develop the aviation ecosystem in Bangladesh

22h | Panorama
How women's purchasing power is altering market dynamics

How women's purchasing power is altering market dynamics

21h | Panorama
Media companies are rushing to capture the youngest market of news consumers in the misplaced hope that this will ensure their survival. Photo: Bloomberg

News firms are too obsessed with wooing the young

20h | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

Erdogan prevails in election test

Erdogan prevails in election test

12h | TBS World
Why AB turns its focus on agri from corporate lending?

Why AB turns its focus on agri from corporate lending?

15h | Corporate Talks
Sword of Tipu Sultan sold in auction

Sword of Tipu Sultan sold in auction

16h | TBS World
Who will be the champion if rain washes out reserve day?

Who will be the champion if rain washes out reserve day?

16h | TBS SPORTS

Most Read

1
End of zero tax!
NBR

End of zero tax!

2
Photo: TBS
Energy

Wind power feeds national grid for first time Friday

3
File Photo: Mohammad Minhaj Uddin/TBS
Bangladesh

Low-cost housing planned for 4 lakh Bangabandhu Shilpa Nagar workers

4
Cenbank prints Tk70,000cr new money in 11 months to support nat'l budget
Budget

Cenbank prints Tk70,000cr new money in 11 months to support nat'l budget

5
File Photo: UNB
Bangladesh

US govt's new visa policy does not bother Bangladesh government: Shahriar Alam

6
Govt to double gain tax on land, flat registration
Budget

Govt to double gain tax on land, flat registration

EMAIL US
[email protected]
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2023
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - [email protected]

For advertisement- [email protected]