The High Court today directed the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal of Feni to finish the trial proceedings of all cases pending with the tribunal in the stipulated time mentioned in the law.

According to Section 20 of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, 2000, the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal must finish the trials of cases filed under this law within 180 days of charge-framing.

The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman passed the order during hearing a petition filed by Murtoja alias Mintu seeking bail in a case filed for killing a housewife named Rehana Aktar.

The bench, however, rejected the bail petition of Murtoja after being informed by the public prosecutor that the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal of Feni has already convicted Murtoja and sentenced him to death in the case.

Earlier on April 16 this year, the HC had issued show-cause notice to the judge and public prosecutor of Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal of Feni and the investigation officer of the case as they could not finish the trial proceedings of the case in the stipulated 180 days.

A case was filed on April 24, 2016 against Murtoja on charge of killing his wife Rehana Aktar and police arrested Murtoja on that very day.

Murtoja recently filed the bail petition with the HC on the ground that the trial proceedings of the case were not finished in the stipulated 180 days.

Advocate Shahidul Isalm appeared for Murtoja, while Assistant Attorney General Md Yousuf Mahmud Morshed represented the state.