Release under-12 children convicted by mobile courts: HC

The High Court on Thursday ordered the authorities concerned to immediately free the under-12 jailed children convicted by mobile courts.

The court also ordered granting six-month bail to those above 12 years.

The HC bench of Justice Sheikh Hasan Arif and Justice Mahmud Hasan Talukder passed the suo moto order following a report run by a daily newspaper.

It issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain why the conviction of the children by mobile courts should not be declared illegal.

The court also instructed the relevant authorities to submit documents related to the conviction of these children within a week and send the bail order of those children who secured bail to the related district juvenile courts.

Barrister Md Abdul Halim and advocate Ishrat Hasan placed the newspaper report before the High Court bench seeking necessary orders.

According to the report, the mobile courts have recently convicted 121 children for various crimes and sent them to the Children Development Centre.