For the first time ever the social crime has been brought under the jurisdiction of the mobile courts in Bangladesh. This is quite surprising. Until now, the mobile courts used to deal with traffic violations and hoardings.
The increasing incidents of sexual harassment and stalking of women in Bangladesh has forced the government to empower the mobile courts to prosecute people accused of sexually harassing women or 'eve teasing'. The sanction will be a year in jail or a fine of US $70 or both.
The idea behind this is the speedy trial in cases of sexual harassment and stalking. The stalkings have resulted in some young women committing suicide. The High Court of Bangladesh even asked the government last week to take measures to stop sexual harassment and stalking of women. This is becoming a big problem in Bangladesh.
Even people who spoke out against sexual harassment have also been murdered! An example is,
a 50-year-old woman died after a motorcycle was driven over her when she protested against the bullying of her daughter last week (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11728027).
Now the Bangladesh government hopes that the punishment that the mobile courts will hand out will act as a deterrent to others.
Source:
BBC News <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11728027>
