The tribunal summoned the director of the home, magistrate Kazi Zebunnesa, and matron Rawshan Ara while dealing with a case filed by the girl who was in safe custody at the home under the Department of Women and Children.

The girl complained of repression at the home and expressed fear of further repression if she was sent back to the home.

There are allegations of gross violation of human rights in other government shelter homes under the Department of Social Welfare. Some 85 juveniles fled away from Dhola government shelter home at Mymenshingh on June 6.

There are allegations of forced prostitution, physical torture, bribery and other kinds of human rights violations against the authorities of the government shelter homes.

The authorities of the Department of Social Welfare did not refuse the allegations but sought specific proofs against the corrupt employees.

Sakuntola (not her real name), a 16-year-old girl and daughter of a rich businessman of Mohammadpur, told Star City, " I experienced the hell when I was at Lalmatia shelter home for three days after being rescued by police from some abductors at Chandpur two months ago. During my stay there I was beaten up several times."

A lawyer of a child rights organisation alleged that his client had to pay Tk 1,000 for sending her documents to the magistrate from the shelter home at Mirpur.

He said a criminal gang in collaboration with some unscrupulous officials of the shelter home are providing girls and women for prostitution.

The Department of Social Welfare has recently transferred Salahuddin Ahmed, assistant director of Mirpur shelter home, for a number of allegations against him.

Recently 85 residents fled away from Dhola shelter home after the murder of a man, Shah Alam, inside the home under the Social Welfare Department.

About the murder and overall situation at Dhola shelter home, Wahida Banu, chairperson of Bangladesh Shishu Odhikar Forum, told Star City that the forum has already conducted investigation and will make public the report within a week.

One of the investigators of the forum told Star City, "I saw nothing positive there. The Dhola shelter home is riddled with human rights violation. Despite having open space inside the home, none of the residents are permitted to come out of their room."

Habibur Rahman, director of the Department of Social Welfare, did not refuse the allegations. He said they need specific proofs to punish the people responsible.

About the Mirpur shelter home, he said, "Officially it is a vagrant drop-in centre, not a shelter home. But due to lack of accommodation in existing shelter homes, the government is using it as a safe custody. The home has its own magistrate to decide whether the residents are vagrant or not. They are later sent to other homes."

About the transferred assistant director of the Mirpur home, Habibur said transfer is not a punishment. But he admitted that several allegations have been found against the official.

Hafizur Rahman Mian, director of the Department of Social Welfare, said the old-fashioned shelter and safe homes of the country need immediate reform and development. The government has allotted funds for the development of these homes in the new national budget. That could solve some of the prevailing problems.