The High Court ordered a judicial probe on Thursday into the recent incidents of communal violence in Cumilla and some other districts in the country.
The court also issued a ruling asking why the inaction of the local administration in providing security to the victims of the communal attacks would not be declared illegal.
The HC bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Md Kamrul Hossain Mollah issued the order and the rule on Thursday following a writ petition.
The HC bench directed the chief judicial magistrates and chief metropolitan magistrates of six districts, including Cumilla, to probe the incidents of communal violence. The other districts are Chandpur, Noakhali, Chattogram, Rangpur and Feni.
The chief judicial magistrates and chief metropolitan magistrates of the six districts were asked to submit a report to the HC within the next 60 days.
Earlier, Barrister Jotirmoy Barua, a lawyer of Bangladesh Supreme Court, filed the writ petition on behalf of two other lawyers-- Anup Kumar Saha and Mintu Chandra Das.
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Jotirmoy Barua took part in the hearing on the petition, while Attorney General AM Amin Uddin and Deputy Attorney General Sheikh Mohammad Murshed represented the state.
The writ petition sought formation of a judicial probe committee to bring the masterminds behind the recent communal attacks to justice. The writ also sought explanation from the local administration officials who reportedly failed to ensure security, rehabilitation, and provide compensation to the victims of communal violence
Nineteen people including secretaries of the Home Ministry, Law Ministry, Information and Communication Technology Division, Social Welfare Ministry, Inspector General of Police (IGP), chairman of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) , deputy commissioners (DCs) and additional superintendents of police (ASPs) of Cumilla, Chandpur, Noakhali, Chattogram, Rangpur and Feni were made respondents.
The petition also sought a directive on BTRC to remove social media posts relating to instigating or destroying religious and communal harmony in the country.
Communal agitation ensued after a copy of the Holy Quran was found in a Puja Mandap during the celebration of Durga Puja in Cumilla on October 13.
Since then, some incidents of communal attack and violence followed in Cumilla and some other districts.
Jyotirmoy Barua said that instructions had been sought to ensure the safety of the Hindu community, rehabilitate the victims providing compensation and take departmental action against the police officers who have been grossly derelict in their duty to provide security to the community.
