Law Minister Md. Asaduzzaman has announced that all politically motivated cases, including murder charges, will be withdrawn, with the sole exception of rape cases. He urged concerned individuals to apply using a prescribed form.
The Law Minister made this statement on Tuesday, November 10, in response to supplementary questions during the second day of the fourth session of the Thirteenth National Parliament. The session commenced at 4:20 PM under the chairmanship of Speaker Major (retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmad Bir Bikrom. The minister answered questions from Members of Parliament Md. Keramat Ali and Zoynal Abedin Faruk.
The Law Minister stated that final reports have been submitted for most of the cases related to the July mass uprising filed after August 10. Cases where charge sheets have been filed but testimony has not yet begun are also in the process of withdrawal. To date, over 24,000 cases have been withdrawn through this process.
He further informed that initiatives are being taken to withdraw cases where testimony has already commenced. However, some individuals, followers of Begum Khaleda Zia’s ideology, opted to resolve their cases through the judicial process in courts to secure acquittal, which prevented the simultaneous withdrawal of all cases.
The Minister added that individuals still facing charges can apply using the designated form, and after verification, necessary action will be taken. If a case is proven to be politically motivated, even murder charges may be withdrawn. However, rape cases will under no circumstances be eligible for withdrawal.
Earlier, in response to a written question from a Member of Parliament, the Law Minister stated that a total of 24,013 politically motivated cases have been withdrawn so far.
Responding to a supplementary question from MP Md. Keramat Ali regarding the judge shortage in Chapainawabganj, the Law Minister said that 394 judicial posts are currently vacant across the country. He expressed hope that this crisis would be resolved soon, as necessary steps are being taken to fill these positions.
The Minister also mentioned that among the applications received for case withdrawal from Chapainawabganj and Rajshahi, those from Chhatra Shibir were in the prescribed format and were subsequently withdrawn. Conversely, several applications from Jamaat were returned due to incorrect formatting. He stated that he had called Professor Mia Golam Parwar, Naib-e-Amir of Jamaat and a Member of Parliament, requesting him to resubmit the applications in the correct format.
Meanwhile, MP Zoynal Abedin Faruk requested that a list of the 86 cases against him, along with cases filed against other Members of Parliament, be presented in the Parliament.
In response, the Law Minister explained that at the time of filing, no case is specifically labeled as a “political case.” Therefore, victims of political harassment among the leaders and activists have been asked to apply using the designated form. He assured that upon receiving the applications, initiatives for case withdrawal would be taken after proper verification and following the legal process.