The High Court on Thursday issued a rule on the government for gender discrimination in visa regulations.
The court ordered the government to explain why its directives stipulating more stringent regulations for foreign nationals married to Bangladeshi women should not be declared discriminatory and unconstitutional.
The ruling came regarding a home ministry circular which does not allow a 'No Visa Required' stamp on the passports of foreign men married to Bangladeshi woman.
However, the same notice allows passports of foreign woman married to Bangladeshi men to obtain the same ('No visa required') stamp.
The petitioner, a Bangladeshi/Australian dual national woman married to a US national, had challenged the circular of Aug 19, 2007 for violating her fundamental rights to gender equality and to life, including family life, referring to the constitution and to the state's obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Violence against Women.
"We are delighted that the court has responded so promptly, and we hope that the government will now deliver on its pledges and take early action to deal with a glaring example of gender discrimination written into the law," said Sara Hossain, who represented the petitioner.
A division bench comprising justices Syed Mahmud Hossain and Gobinda Chandra Thakur issued the rule and passed the interim order.
-bdnews
The court ordered the government to explain why its directives stipulating more stringent regulations for foreign nationals married to Bangladeshi women should not be declared discriminatory and unconstitutional.
The ruling came regarding a home ministry circular which does not allow a 'No Visa Required' stamp on the passports of foreign men married to Bangladeshi woman.
However, the same notice allows passports of foreign woman married to Bangladeshi men to obtain the same ('No visa required') stamp.
The petitioner, a Bangladeshi/Australian dual national woman married to a US national, had challenged the circular of Aug 19, 2007 for violating her fundamental rights to gender equality and to life, including family life, referring to the constitution and to the state's obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Violence against Women.
"We are delighted that the court has responded so promptly, and we hope that the government will now deliver on its pledges and take early action to deal with a glaring example of gender discrimination written into the law," said Sara Hossain, who represented the petitioner.
A division bench comprising justices Syed Mahmud Hossain and Gobinda Chandra Thakur issued the rule and passed the interim order.
-bdnews
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