The High Court today directed the government to take necessary steps to formulate a law to ensure security to the witnesses of criminal cases and to ensure their appearance before courts.

At a hearing on a bail petition by a murder accused, the HC also asked the home and law secretaries to include necessary rules in the law so that public prosecutors and police remain accountable for absence of witnesses.

The HC bench of justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Amir Hossain passed the order as Additional Public Prosecutor of Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court Asaduzzaman Rochi told the HC that witnesses do not appear before courts for security concerns.