Writ Seeking law to protect men from harassment dismissed

The High Court has dismissed a writ petition seeking a directive to enact a new law titled the "Prevention and Protection of Men from Abuse Act" to protect men from alleged harassment through the misuse of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act and the Dowry Prohibition Act.

A High Court bench comprising Justice Rajik-Al-Jalil and Justice Debasish Roy Chowdhury passed the order on Thursday after hearing the petition.

The writ was filed in May by Kazi Eliasur Rahman, a Supreme Court lawyer and founding chairman of the Butterfly Human Rights Foundation, along with the organization's founding member Md. Khalilur Rahman. Kazi Eliasur Rahman represented the petitioners during the hearing.

Attorney General Md. Ruhul Quddus Kajal and Deputy Attorney General Md. Jasidul Islam Jony appeared on behalf of the state.

Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Kazi Eliasur Rahman said the High Court had dismissed the petition and that an appeal would be filed with the Appellate Division.

According to the petition, the respondents' failure to enact a "Prevention and Protection of Men from Abuse Act" to protect men from alleged unnecessary harassment through the misuse of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act and the Dowry Prohibition Act should be declared unlawful. It also sought a rule asking why the government should not be directed to introduce such legislation.

Pending disposal of the rule, the petition further sought interim directions requiring the government to take necessary steps to enact the proposed law to safeguard men from what the petition described as misuse of the existing laws.

The respondents in the case included the Cabinet Secretary, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Home Secretary, Law Secretary, and the Chairman of the Law Commission.