A writ petition has been filed with the High Court, seeking an order to ban marriages between rape convicts and survivors, arguing that such practices undermine justice and normalize sexual violence.
Advocate Md Rakibul Hasan, a resident of Sirajganj, filed the petition on Wednesday as a public interest litigation.
The matter is likely to be heard this week by a High Court bench comprising Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Md Ashif Hasan.
The writ names as respondents the secretaries of the ministries of home, law, women and children affairs, and social welfare, along with the inspector general of police, the director general of prisons, and the registrar general of the Supreme Court.
Hasan attached several newspaper reports citing instances where rape convicts married survivors, including a recent case involving singer Mainul Ahsan Noble.
According to those reports, Noble married the complainant in a rape case against him at the main gate of Keraniganj Central Jail under the supervision of prison authorities, after receiving court permission. The case against him is still pending trial.
The petition strongly criticizes how certain media outlets portrayed the incident as a “success story,” publishing celebratory reports and photographs. It argues that such coverage and marriages effectively legitimize rape, enabling perpetrators to evade justice through bail or compromise.
It further denounces the trend of resolving rape cases through arbitration, forced marriage, or informal settlements, warning that such practices embolden offenders and perpetuate impunity.
“Organizing such marriages at a prison gate under official supervision is deeply reprehensible,” the petition states.
“Marriage cannot absolve the crime of rape. Even if the survivor consents, the act remains a punishable offense under the law.”
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