Law Minister
A bankrupt group using an innocent phone conversation to serve their agenda: Anisul Haque
Law Minister Anisul Haque said on Sunday that steps will be taken to investigate how his innocent telephone conversation with a prime minister’s adviser got leaked on social media.
“Of course steps will be taken to investigate the matter”, he told journalists in reply to a question on the leaked phone conversation between him and the PM’s adviser on private industry and investment affairs.
Read: Govt to do everything to ease case backlog, says Law Minister
Earlier he handed over to the leaders of Bangladesh Bar Council a cheque of Tk. 20 crore donated by the prime minster.
Explaining he said “I was replying to an adviser who asked me about a project -Info Sarkar. The project was the brainchild of PM’s ICT Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy.”
“A party is so much on the rocks that they are using this innocent conversation as a weapon and I feel it should not be given such importance,” he said. “They have become so bankrupt,” he added.
In another program at Sonargaon Hotel in the city the minister said the government believes that election is the main pillar of democracy.
Read: Law minister urges NHRC to stand against violation of human rights
The government is providing all assistance to the Election Commission for holding a free, fair and neutral election.
He said the result of this assistance is smart ID cards, flawless voter list, Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), modern infrastructure of the EC, the Parliamentary Constituency Boundary Delimitation Act 2021, Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commission Act 2022 and a strengthened Election Commission.
Govt to do everything to ease case backlog, says Law Minister
Law Minister Anisul Huq on Sunday said the government will do whatever is needed to ease the long-running backlog of cases in the country’s courts.
“We’ll follow all the methods practised in the world to minimise the backlog of cases in courts,” he told reporters after joining a programme at the city’s Judicial Administration Training Institute.
The Law Minister was speaking at the inauguration of the 43rd and 44th special founding courses for assistant judges and equivalent judges there.
Read: No scope now for law on EC formation: Law Minister
He said it is now a big challenge for judges to minimise the number of pending cases in the country’s courts. “If this challenge can’t be tackled right now, it’ll get even harder in the future.”
More than 34 lakh cases are pending with both the higher and lower courts across the country, according to a statistics placed in Parliament by the Law Minister in October last.
Of them, over five lakh cases are pending with the higher court and the rest with the lower ones.
Describing the judges as the driven force of the judiciary, Anisul Huq said the President would appoint judges to the High Court Division of the Supreme Court whenever he deems it necessary.
He said judges are being given different sorts of training at home and abroad. The capacity of the Judicial Administration Training Institute has been enhanced, he said.
Now70 participants can join two foundation training courses simultaneously at the institute, he said, adding that it has been possible due to the effective steps taken by the government.
Read: Law minister rules out urgent enactment of law on election commission
Earlier at the programme, the Law Minister said the government is constructing high-rise infrastructures at the district level for judicial purposes. The judges are receiving training in Australia, China, Japan and India alongside the local ones.
He said the government raised the salaries and allowances of the judges significantly in addition to ensuring car facility for them. The purpose of all this is to ensure timely justice and meet the public expectation.
Law and Justice Division Secretary Md Golam Sarwar also spoke at the function held with Director General of the training institute Justice Nazmun Ara Sultana in the chair.
No scope now for law on EC formation: Law Minister
Law Minister Anisul Huq on Sunday reiterated that there is no scope right now for the enactment of a law on the formation of the Election Commission.
“I said there will be a law, but that has to acceptable to all and not only to one party” he told the reporters in reply to a question at his office in the Secretariat.
Referring to the President Abdul Hamid’s ongoing dialogue with political parties the law minister said it will be too early to call it a success or a failure.
Read:Law minister rules out urgent enactment of law on election commission
“We will have to wait until the dialogue is over and see what steps the president takes after it,” he said.
He urged BNP to change its decision and take part in the dialogue with the president for the sake of the country.
Pointing to BNP he said, “If they think it is a toxic situation, then I think they have to take some steps to get out of the toxic situation. If we join the dialogue, we think it will be positive.”
Asked about the logjam of pending cases, the minister blamed it on the disruptions caused by Covid-19 pandemic. The number of pending cases could have been more unless the government introduced virtual court that cleared two lakh cases, he said.
Meanwhile, about new challenges for the government in the New Year, the law minister said, “I think we have already set the challenges. Now it is time to face those challenges.”
He added that the Padma Bridge is almost complete. Besides, all the mega projects that were taken will be completed by June or December.
Read: It’s President’s jurisdiction to appoint CJ: Law Minister
“These are the mega challenges that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government is ready to deliver.”
“In fact, the challenge we always have is that we believe in public service. Our job is to improve the quality of service and deliver the service to the people and we take it as a challenge to do that,” he kept saying.
The minister said all the programs are people friendly. “We will try to make these people-friendly programs available to the people through public service.”
“Who will be sent abroad, who will not be sent abroad, that is not the priority,” he said. “Priority is that the time has come for Sheikh Hasina to prepare the ground for the services that the people should have received long ago. We will deliver.”
He said the people will deliver their verdict in the next elections on who has for their welfare and who has served only themselves.
Law minister rules out urgent enactment of law on election commission
Law Minister Anisul Huq on Thursday ruled out an immediate enactment of a law on the formation of the Election Commission stating that such an important legislation can’t be done “overnight.”
“Yes, the constitution has provision to make the law and we want to do it. But since it’s a very important law it can’t be done overnight,” he told the members of Overseas Correspondents Association of Bangladesh (OCAB) at a briefing at National Press Club.
Detailing the process of the legislation the minister said that it has to go through drafting, approval of the Cabinet and then placing it on the law ministry website for eliciting public opinion before it can be placed in the parliament.
“We must go through this process considering the importance of the legislation,” he said.
Huq said under the current system the Election Commission is formed through a process initiated by the president in 2012. Political parties holding talks with the president can suggest their choices for chief election commissioner and four members. On the basis of the recommendations the president forms a “neutral and independent election Commission” through a search committee.
“Even though the process is not a law, but it has the force of law since all political parties previously had a consensus on it and it was acted upon twice. Two national elections were held under the Election Commission formed through the search committee,” the minister said.
His comments in reply to a question came amid an ongoing dialogue President Hamid has started with the political parties on the formation of a new EC as the current election watchdog ends its five-year term on February 15 next.
READ: Law minister urges NHRC to stand against violation of human rights
Almost all parties meeting the president so far have suggested enactment of the election commission law in the next session of the parliament to meet the constitutional requirement.
The law minister said the government will also wait to see the outcome of the president’s dialogue with the political parties registered with the Election Commission.
READ: Sanctions on Rab: Law Minister calls it ‘unfortunate’
Bangladesh has 39 such registered political parties and nine of them have representation in the current parliament.
It’s President’s jurisdiction to appoint CJ: Law Minister
Law Minister Anisul Huq on Wednesday said the President is the sole authority to appoint the Chief Justice. “In Bangladesh, the President has the authority to appoint the Prime Minister and the Chief Justice without asking anyone else. The President will appoint the Chief Justice whom he will deem fit for it. I think those who’re now in the Appellate Division are all fit for the post.” The law minister came up with the remarks while responding to a question from reporters about the appointment of the Chief Justice at a programme of Crime Reporters Association of Bangladesh (CRAB) in the capital.
Read: Law minister urges NHRC to stand against violation of human rights Replying to a question about the formation of the Election Commission (EC), the minister said, “The tenure of the EC will expire in February next year. The process for the formation of the EC has started and it’s under the jurisdiction of the President.” Responding to another question about allowing BNP chief Khaleda Zia to go abroad for treatment, the minister said the case in which Khaleda Zia got jail term was filed by the caretaker government, not the Awami League government. “Already, Khaleda has been released under section 401 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) on some conditions, now there’s no scope to reconsider her release. She has to go back to jail first and file a plea to the government,” he said. “Khaleda was released under section 401 of the CrPC and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina approved her plea on humanitarian grounds. The plea was disposed of and there is no scope to reconsider the disposed plea and you (journalists) know the government can’t do anything against the law,” he said.
Sanctions on Rab: Law Minister calls it ‘unfortunate’
Terming the imposition of human rights-related sanctions on Rab personnel unfortunate, Law Minister Anisul Huq on Sunday said the US authorities issued the sanctions without leaving any scope for self-defence.
“Those who believe in democracy and the rule of law have a responsibility and they should follow the due procedure and if any action is taken against any party then they must get the chance of self-defence. It’s truly unfortunate that the US imposed the sanctions without leaving any scope for self-defense,” he said.
The Law Minister came up with the remarks while talking to reporters after inaugurating the 26th Judicial Administration Training Course of Judges at Bangladesh Judicial Administration Training Institute in the city.
“The allegations which have been brought against RAB aren’t correct. Those’re imaginary and no extrajudicial killing has taken place in Bangladesh,” he said.
Read: 'Will prove Zia's involvement in Bangabandhu killing': Minister
The United States on Friday imposed human rights-related sanctions on Benzir Ahmed, current Inspector General of the Bangladesh Police and former Director-General of Bangladesh’s Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and six other individuals on the occasion of International Human Rights Day.
The US Department of State announced visa restrictions on Benazir Ahmed, which it says, due to his “involvement in gross violations of human rights” making him ineligible for entry into the United States.
Also read: US imposes sanctions on RAB, 7 individuals
RAB as an entity, Benzir Ahmed, and six other officials were designated by the Department of the Treasury under the Global Magnitsky sanctions programme in connection with serious human rights abuse, said the US Department of State.
Regarding Khaleda’s plea seeking permission to go abroad for treatment, the Minister said, “Please wait and you will soon get the answer.”
Justice has been served in Abrar's murder verdict: Law Minister
The Abrar murder case verdict was genuine and fair that proved that the rule of law prevailed in the country, said Law Minister Anisul Huq on Wednesday.
“Justice has been served," he said.
“Now, no criminal will be able to roam around committing such a murder or any other kind of murder. They cannot do politics. No one will be able to show such ‘audacity," he added.
Read:20 to die for killing Buet student Abrar
He made the remarks while responding to the verdict at his residence in the capital's Gulshan on Wednesday afternoon.
He said the documents of the verdict will be sent to the High Court in the next seven days. The government will extend all possible assistance for speedy disposal of the case.
Anisul said, “There are some incidents of murder in the society which shake the society, shake the conscience of the society.”
“If all these murders are not brought to justice, there will be frustration in the society,” he added.
The minister said it is the responsibility of the government to ensure speedy disposal of these cases by giving exemplary punishment to assure the society that rule of law prevails in the country. “Sheikh Hasina's government has so far been able to live up to her obligations.”
Read:Abrar’s mother also seeks death sentence for Amit Saha
Meanwhile, regarding Khaleda Zia, he said that there is no 'scope' to revive the appeal once it has been disposed of under Section 401 of the Penal Code.
Earlier in the day, a Dhaka court sentenced 20 young men to death and five others to life imprisonment for killing 21-year-old student of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) Abrar Fahad in October, 2019.
Abrar was beaten to death by BUET Bangladesh Chhatra League unit keaders at Sher-e-Bangla Hall in 2019.
He was found dead on the staircase of the hall in the early hours of October 7, after he was taken to room No-2011 around 8pm on October 6 and beaten mercilessly.
Govt looking into legal options to let Khaleda go abroad: Law Minister
Law Minister Anisul Huq on Sunday said the government is assessing whether there is any legal option to allow BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia to go abroad for medical treatment.
“I think the decision on it (application of Khaleda’s family) should come after considering overall aspects and assessing whether there any legal scope,” he said.
Read:Khaleda free, not in govt custody: Law Minister
Talking to reporters after attending an event at the Judicial Administration Training Institute in the capital, the minister said they are also careful so that the law is not violated in this regard.
“As there haven many applications, including from lawyers, I think it is appropriate to come to a well-thought-out decision after examining all aspects and whether any scope to do something in any way,” he added.
Khaleda, a 76-year-old former prime minister, has been receiving treatment at Evercare Hospital for various health complications since November 13.
The BNP chief’s medical board members on November 28 said she immediately needs to go abroad for better treatment as she was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis.
On behalf of her family, Khaleda's younger brother, Shamim Iskander, submitted an application to the Home Ministry on November 11 seeking permission to take her abroad for treatment.
Though the government earlier twice turned down such applications, it is taking time to dispose of the fresh plea of the BNP chief’s family.
On November 28, the Law Minister told parliament that Khaleda is now free as she is not in government custody.
Read:Pro-BNP lawyers’ memo over Khaleda’s treatment to be examined: Law Minister
He also said as Khaleda was temporarily released under section 401 of the Criminal Code of Procedure based on some conditions, including not leaving the country, there is no provision in the law to allow her to go abroad now until she submits a fresh petition after returning to jail.
BNP leaders and pro-BNP lawyers, however, have long been arguing that the government has the unlimited authority to take any decision in this regard under section 401 of the Criminal Code of Procedures.
The party has also been observing various programmes since November 25 demanding that the BNP chief be allowed to go abroad as there is no advanced cnetre in Bangladesh to treat her liver cirrhosis problem.
CJ, SC judges allowances raised; 2 Bills passed
Two bills were passed in Parliament on Sunday raising the allowances of the Chief Justice and the judges of the Appellate Division and the High Court.
Law Minister Anisul Huq moved the two bills -- 'Bangladesh Supreme Court Judges (Remuneration and Privileges) Act, 2021' and 'Bangladesh Supreme Court Judges (Travelling Allowance) Act, 2021'.
The Bills were passed by voice vote.
READ: JS passes Highways Bill to ensure better management, construction of highways
The Bangladesh Supreme Court Judges (Remuneration and Privileges) Act, 2021 will replace the existing ordinance of 1978 while the Bangladesh Supreme Court Judges (Travelling Allowance) Act, 2021 will replace an ordinance of 1976.
READ: Rowshan Ara made head of JS committee on Road Transport Ministry
Law Minister attributes violence during UP elections to personal conflicts
Law Minister Anisul Huq on Saturday said the violence during the ongoing Union Parishad (UP) elections happened largely because of personal and factional conflicts, and land-related disputes.Anisul, also in-charge of the parliamentary affairs of the Election Commission, said this in response to a tabled question from Jatiya Party's MP Liakot Hossain Khoka elected from Narayanganj-3.He said several print and electronic media ran reports on election-related violence after the first and second rounds of UP elections across the country.
Also read: 2nd phase of UP polls marred by violence; 6 dead
“These are the main reasons -- personal and group conflicts, land disputes -- why violence happened during elections. Various opportunists or groups are trying to resort to violence against minority groups, women and children,” he said.The minister said the Election Commission is alert and vigilant about the election-related violence.
“Strict instructions have been given to law enforcement agencies to maintain law and order. The Election Commission has written a letter to the government department concerned requesting it to take necessary steps to remain vigilant about the violence,” said the law minister.
Also read: UP polls creating panic instead of festivity: GM Quader
He said necessary instructions have also been given to election officials in this regard.Besides, Anisul Huq said, a letter has been sent to the Home Ministry to inform the commission about the steps taken by the police so far.