The High Court yesterday directed the home secretary to form a high-profile committee led by a joint secretary to investigate the allegation of imposing a fatwa on a housewife in Mirsarai of Chittagong.
During hearing of a rule, the court asked the secretary to submit the probe report before it within four weeks, and fixed December 10 for passing a further order on this issue.
Media reports said ruling Awami League leader of Nayduria and local union parishad member, along with some supporters at a village arbitration declared that stones will be thrown at housewife Asma after putting her in a hole, which was chest deep.
The arbitration was held on October 2 after Asma had filed a case against Mahfuzul and his aides on charges of sexual harassment in July. They reportedly sexually abused her days before the case was filed.
Advocate Manzill Murshid, on behalf of Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh, filed a writ petition following the media reports. He sought necessary directives over the matter.
Following the writ petition, the HC on October 16 issued a rule upon the government to explain why it should not be directed to act against those responsible for the fatwa incident.
The HC bench of Justice Salma Masud Chowdhury and Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah yesterday ordered Officer-in-Charge of Mirsarai Police Station Iftekhar Hossain and Mahfuzul Haque to appear before it on December 10.