The High Court in the full text of a verdict has issued five specific directives in order to prevent the incidents of spreading rumours and mob beating, and to ensure quick action about such heinous offences, observing that people must be made aware of this via the media, reports The Daily Star.
"The respondent No 1 (secretary to the public security division at the home ministry) shall continue to take necessary measures to make people aware through electronic media and other media platforms in regard to lynching by unruly mobs," the HC said in the full text of verdict released recently.
The court said in the full text of the verdict the public security division secretary must take necessary measures to stop explosive messages, videos, and other materials on various social media platforms which have a tendency to incite mob violence of any kind and identify the perpetrators behind those heinous acts.
The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim (now a judge of the Appellate Division) and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman had delivered a short verdict on March 1, 2020 following a writ filed by Supreme Court lawyer Ishrat Hasan seeking necessary directives.
The lawyer submitted the petition as a public interest litigation as Taslima, a 40-year-old single mother of two, was beaten to death on July 20, 2019 when she went to Uttar Badda Government Primary School to ask about the admission process, according to police.
Her nephew Nasir Uddin Tito filed a case against 400 to 500 unknown people with Badda Police Station. Locals told police that some people thought she was a child abductor and attacked her.
The same day, mobs reportedly beat four more persons to death on similar suspicion.
In the full text of verdict, the HC said, "If any mob lynching has taken place, the concerned police station shall immediately cause to lodge an FIR (first information report) without undue delay and immediately notify the special designated officer of the circle."
"The investigation circle officer shall personally monitor the investigation and ensure that investigation is completed within three months," the judges said in the full text of the verdict.
The education secretary will start a departmental inquiry whether the headmaster of Uttar Badda Government Primary School is fit for his job since the deceased (Taslima) was under his custody before the incident.
Ishrat Hasan told The Daily Star that the investigation into the case filed in connection with the death of Taslima has been completed but its trial proceedings are yet to be finished.
