HC Rule: Why not female doctors for women’s autopsies?

Staff Reporter :

The High Court has issued a rule asking why a policy has not yet been formulated to ensure that autopsies of deceased women are conducted by female doctors.

The rule was issued on Sunday by a High Court Division bench comprising Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Shikdar Mahmudur Razi, following a hearing on a writ petition seeking a directive on the matter.

Advocate Md. Jewel Azad, who appeared on behalf of the petitioner, filed the writ on 10 March. The petition called for the introduction of a formal policy requiring female medical officers and paramedics to conduct autopsies and post-mortems of female bodies.

The court has questioned why the inaction and failure of the concerned authorities to introduce such a policy should not be declared
unlawful and beyond their legal authority. Additionally, the petition requested that the court direct the authorities to take immediate steps to appoint female doctors and personnel for conducting such autopsies, particularly at the district level.

Respondents named in the writ include the Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), and the Director General of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education.

The court is expected to further deliberate on the issue in the coming weeks.