CJ to form specific HC bench for death references in cases linked to women children

Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury will constitute a dedicated High Court bench to hear death references and appeals in cases involving crimes against women and children, including cases similar to that of child Ramisa Akter.

The specific bench will begin functioning next Sunday, said Attorney General Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal.

Speaking to reporters at his office on the Supreme Court premises, the attorney general said he had requested the chief justice to take such a step during proceedings at the Appellate Division.

"Senior lawyers Prabir Neogi and Md Salahuddin Dolon also supported my proposal, and around 200 lawyers present in the courtroom apparently agreed with me," he said.

The move came amid growing concerns over delays in the disposal of death reference cases and appeals involving crimes against women and children.

A death reference is a mandatory judicial process through which a trial court's death sentence is sent to the High Court for confirmation before it can be carried out.

Convicts sentenced to death also have the right to file appeals against their convictions and sentences.

The announcement came after a special tribunal in Dhaka sentenced Sohel Rana and his wife, Swapna Khatun, to death in the rape and murder case of eight-year-old Ramisa Akter.