The government has taken effective steps to withdraw cases filed for political harassment during the previous Awami League government, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman has said.
He made the statement while responding to a written question on the 15th day of the first session of the 13th National Parliament on Thursday. The session was presided over by Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal.
Replying to a question tabled by Magura-1 MP Md Monowar Hossain, the minister said the process to withdraw politically motivated harassment cases is already underway.
He added that an earlier committee formed by the interim government had set policy guidelines for case withdrawals, under which no murder cases were withdrawn.
The minister said a four-member committee was formed at the district level on March 5, led by deputy commissioners, to recommend the withdrawal of such cases. Based on those recommendations, a six-member central committee—headed by the law minister as convener—was formed on March 8 to take final decisions.
The central committee is reviewing the recommendations of district committees and taking necessary decisions accordingly, he said.
He added that applications submitted through due process to withdraw politically motivated or false cases against any person, including MPs, will be reviewed, and appropriate action will be taken if cases are found to be harassing.
‘Independent judges would have faced transfer’
Responding to another question, the law minister said there had been no legal or administrative barriers to judicial independence during the Awami League government, but political considerations influenced the transfer and posting of judges.
Answering a question from Chittagong-15 MP Shahjahan Chowdhury, he said judges who attempted to act independently would, in practice, have been punished through transfers to remote areas by the Supreme Court.
He said the current government has decided to move away from such practices, adding that integrity, competence and judicial conduct will be prioritised in judicial appointments.
The Law Ministry will make recommendations to the Supreme Court, which will take the final decision, he added.
FP/MI
Five river police members, boatman injured in Kushtia ambush
Govt procurement target set at 18.1 lakh tonnes of food grains
Bangladesh gives passport to 22,000 Rohingyas living in Saudi Arabia
LPG price increases by Tk212
Police officer dies of ‘gunshot from his own weapon’ in Khulna
Owners propose to hike long-distance bus fares
Health Minister inaugurates nationwide measles-rubella vaccination campaign
