WUNRN
BANGLADESH - LANDMARK COURT JUDGMENT
& GUIDELINES ON SEXUAL
HARASSMENT
It is of great pleasure to circulate amongst you the Judgement on laying
down guidelines on Sexual Harassment declared by the Honorable Court on 14
May, 2009.
An HC bench comprised of Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain and Justice Quamrul
Islam Siddiqui came up with the guidelines, directive and ruling in its
verdict upon a writ petition filed as public interest litigation by Salma
Ali, Executive Director of Bangladesh National Woman Lawyers Association
(BNWLA). Advocate Fawzia Karim Feroze, President, BNWLA, conducted the case.
A significant feature of the HC action is that its guidelines will be
treated as law until a law relating to prevention of sexual harassment is
in place. This is important, for it allows no time gap to be there between
the directives coming into effect and the actual framing and promulgation
of a law.
Even
more encouraging, the HC's directive to the authorities
regarding the formation of five-member harassment complaint committees, to
be headed by a woman, at every workplace and organisation means that sexual
harassment of the kind that has been going on for years could now finally
be reined in.
Since harassment of women and children is taking place at every workplace
and institution including universities across the country, the BNWLA has
been fighting against this for about 10 years.
We believe that the HC verdict an epoch-making one and will remain as a
milestone in the history of judiciary for protecting women from sexual
harassment. The verdict will play a vital role in creating public awareness
about any kind of harassment of women.
I
take this opportunity to thank you all for supporting us in our cause and
extending your assistance in conducting the case.
Salma Ali, Executive Director
Bangladesh National Woman Lawyers' Association (BNWLA)
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Thank you.