Senior Supreme Court lawyer Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal has been appointed as the 18th Attorney General of Bangladesh.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin made the appointment under Article 64(1) of the Constitution, said a gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs today.
Article 64 (1) empowers the president to appoint a person qualified to be a judge of the Supreme Court as the attorney general, who serves as the chief law officer of the state, advising the government and handling its legal affairs.
The post had remained vacant since the resignation of former attorney general Md Asaduzzaman on December 27 last year, as he contested the February 12 national election as a BNP candidate from Jhenaidah-1.
On January 1, Additional Attorney General Md Arshadur Rouf was given the responsibility of attorney general.
Speaking to reporters at his chamber at the Supreme Court Bar Association, newly appointed Attorney General Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kazal said he would perform his duties in accordance with law, ethics and principles.
Replying to a question, he stressed the need for a comprehensive government policy to reduce the backlog of cases.
He said criminal cases are often filed against 10 to 50 people even when only one person is responsible, while many civil disputes that could be resolved outside court are brought before the judiciary, contributing to case backlogs.
“There are shortages of judges. Lawyers need training, and litigants must be more aware to reduce backlogs. A comprehensive government policy is needed for this purpose,” he added.
Ruhul Quddus is a member of the BNP’s National Executive Committee and currently serves on the Bangladesh Bar Council. He previously served as secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA).
A graduate from the Department of Law, Dhaka University, he became a member of the SCBA in 1996.
FP/MI
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