TDS Desk:

A writ petition has been filed with the High Court seeking a directive to prohibit marriages between rape convicts and rape survivors, arguing that such practices undermine justice and normalize sexual violence.

The petition was lodged on Wednesday by advocate md rakibul hasan, a resident of sirajganj, as public interest litigation.

It is expected to be heard this week by the bench of 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 highlighting instances where rape convicts married survivors, including a recent case involving singer Mainul Ahsan Noble.

According to 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 securing court permission. The case against him remains under trial.

The petition criticizes how some media outlets portrayed the incident as a “success story,” publishing celebratory coverage and photographs. It argues that such marriages effectively legitimize rape, allowing perpetrators to evade justice by obtaining bail or escaping accountability through compromise.

It further condemned the practice of resolving rape cases through arbitration, forced marriages, or informal settlements, warning that these approaches embolden offenders and perpetuate impunity.

“Organizing such marriages at a prison gate under official supervision is highly condemnable,” the petition states.

“Marriage cannot erase the crime of rape. Even with the survivor’s consent, the offense remains defined as a crime under law.”