Dhaka: The High Court (HC) on Monday ordered respective trial courts for disposal of the cases against 139 accused who are in jails for up to seven years by August 31 this year.

The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Shahidul Karim passed the order hearing a petition in this regard filed by the Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee.

Advocate Chumar Debul Dey, on behalf of the accused, moved for the petition.

He said respective trial courts were asked to dispose of the cases by August 31 and inform about the matter to the HC Monitoring Committee.

The court also asked Investigation Officers (IOs) of the cases to place witnesses of their respective cases before the respective trial courts.

It also ordered authorities concerned for taking departmental actions against those IOs who will fail to place witnesses before the respective courts.

Deputy Commissioners and superintendents of police of the respective district were also asked to provide necessary cooperation, Advocate Debul added.

The Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee sent letter to district jails across the country seeking lists of inmates who are waiting for trial.

After getting the lists, it sorted out a total of 139 inmates who are in jail for at least seven years for disposal of their cases.

Then, the committee moved to the High Court with a petition seeking a directive for quick disposal of the cases against them.

In the petition, it said that such delay in trial procedure is the violation of human rights for longtime inmates.