HC asks authorities as more than 100 below-18 are in jails under ‘safe custody’
The High Court in a verdict yesterday directed the authorities concerned to immediately release all the children from jails across the country.
An HC bench of Justice Md Imman Ali and Justice Obaidul Hasan declared keeping children in jail in any manner illegal.
Deputy Attorney General Motahar Hossain Sazu yesterday told The Daily Star that more than 100 children under 18 years are in jails in the name of safe custody.
The HC bench came up with the order after hearing on a suo moto rule earlier issued by the court upon the government to explain why it should not be directed to release the children from jail.
The HC issued the suo moto rule following a newspaper report stating that 145 children are in jails.
It observed that the judges concerned of the lower courts should have considered releasing them on bail or keeping them in safe homes or any other safe places. And the social welfare ministry should have taken measures to keep them in safe places.
The bench also asked the Supreme Court registrar to send the copy of this judgement to all the lower court judges, authorities of jails, safe homes and ministries concerned.
It said there are a few safe homes for girls while no such homes for boys in the country. Jails can under no circumstance be treated as a place of safety.
Advocate Manzill Murshid and advocate Fahima Nasrin placed arguments before the court for releasing the children from jail.
