HC turns down plea to criminalize gender-based violence against men

Online Desk : The High Court on Thursday dismissed a writ petition seeking a directive for the enactment of a law titled the “Prevention and Suppression of Violence Against Men Act.”

The order was passed by a High Court bench comprising Justice Razik-Al-Jalil and Justice Debashish Roy Chowdhury after hearing the petition.

The writ was filed in May by Supreme Court lawyer Kazi Eliasur Rahman, founding chairman of the Butterfly Human Rights Foundation, along with the organisation’s founding member Md Khalilur Rahman. Kazi Eliasur Rahman argued the case in person.

Attorney General Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal and Deputy Attorney General Md Jasidul Islam Jony represented the state during the hearing.

In the petition, the petitioners argued that enacting a law on the prevention and suppression of violence against men would help ensure equality before the law and address what they described as the misuse of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act against men.

The writ sought a rule asking why the government’s failure to enact such legislation should not be declared illegal and without lawful authority. It also requested a directive requiring the authorities to introduce the proposed law to protect men from what the petition described as unnecessary harassment through the alleged misuse of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act and the Dowry Prohibition Act.

Pending disposal of the rule, the petitioners also sought an interim order directing the government to enact the proposed legislation.

The Cabinet Secretary, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Home Secretary and Law Secretary were made respondents in the writ petition.