Complete drug trials proceedings in six months: HC

Dhaka, Feb 05 – The High Court on Tuesday directed the lower court concerned to complete trials proceedings of all Yaba and other drug and narcotics related cases by six months.
The HC bench comprising Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Mostafizur Rahman also asked the deputy commissioners (DCs) and superintendents of police (SPs) to monitor whether the investigation
officers of these cases have any negligence in producing the witnesses to the trial court on the scheduled date.
Police and other persons, who were related with the cases, have been asked to play their due role in completing the trial proceedings by six months of taking into the congnisance of the cases.
The trial courts concerned will have to explain to the Supreme Court committee if they fail to finish by six months the trial proceedings of the narcotics and drug related cases after accepting those.
It also asked the lower courts concerned to inform DCs and SPs about the negligence of the IOs, if there is any.
It also asked the trial courts to submit reports to the Supreme Court committee on the lower court whether the public prosecutors and investigation officers have any negligence in dealing with such cases.
The HC bench also asked te law secretary and the Supreme Court registrar general to communicate the order to the lower court, DCs and SPs so that they can take immediate effective steps in this regard.
The HC bench came up with the order while hearing a petition filed by one Md Mizanur Rahman Baroi, an accused of a drug-related case filed in Madaripur.
The High Court noticed that the case against Mizanur has been accepted by the Madaripur court in 2016 but its trial proceedings have not been finished yet.
During the hearing on petition, the HC bench observed that such a case can be disposed of in a day if the judge, investigation officers and public prosecutor sincerely deal with it.
The court also granted a six-month bail to Mizanur Rahman in the case filed against him.
Advocate Fazlur Rahman appeared for the petitioner while assistant attorney general Yusuf Mahmud Morshed represented the state.
Later Morshed told reporters that Morshed have been languishing in jail since his arrested in connection with the case. The investigation officer is yet to produce any witness before the court. Hence the HC
bench granted him bail in the case, he added.
More than 3 lakh drug have remained pending with different courts across the country mainly due to slow trial process, sources said.
According to the sources a total of 6,47,552 people were arrested in the cases filed over trading and smuggling of drugs since 2011. – Staff Reporter