SC summons Tribunal judge for granting bail to rape accused 

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) has summoned the Dhaka Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-7 Judge Ms Begum Kamrun Nahar for granting bail to a rape accused. 

A bench headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain asked the judge to appear before the court on April 2 with an explanation. 

At the same time, the court revoked the bail of the accused Aslam Shikder. 

The SC also asked Aslam to surrender before a subordinate court within two weeks. 

According to the case statement, a case was filed against Aslam Shikder, a private television channel producer, on September 13, 2018 at Hatirjheel Police Station for raping a woman. 

After arrest, he was sent to jail. 

Aslam was given bail by the High Court on June 18, 2019 which was later stayed by the Chamber Judge following a petition filed by the state counsel on June 25, 2019. 

Despite the stay order, Judge Kamrun Nahar of Dhaka Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-7, granted him bail on March 2, 2020. 

The issue was brought to notice of the Appellate Division by Attorney General Mahbubey Alam on Thursday. 

The Attorney General said, "The act of a subordinate court granting bail despite having a stay order from the topmost court of the country is contempt of the court. There is no opportunity to grant bail in such a manner." 

Upon examination of the documents of the case, the Chief Justice and full bench of the Appellate Division found that the stay order was mentioned in the tribunal's order No 32. 

Later the Appellate Division summoned the judge and asked the accused to surrender to a subordinate court.