Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman said the human rights situation in Bangladesh is improving, claiming that incidents of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances have now been reduced to almost zero.
He made the remarks on Wednesday while addressing an iftar gathering organised by the Dhaka University LLM Lawyers Association at the Dhaka Club in the capital.
The minister said the government has taken various legal and administrative measures to strengthen human rights protection and reduce misuse of the criminal justice system. "The human rights situation in Bangladesh is currently improving. Extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances have now been reduced to almost zero, and the number of missing and false cases has also been significantly reduced," he said.
He emphasised that continued cooperation from members of the legal profession would be necessary to consolidate these gains. According to him, the role of lawyers is crucial in strengthening the rule of law and ensuring justice for citizens.
Referring to Section 173A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the minister said the provision has been used as an effective safeguard to protect the rights of individuals accused in criminal cases.
He said that in many instances large numbers of people are implicated in false cases and are forced to wait for years for police investigation reports. During this period, they face various legal and social complications.
"In many cases false cases have been filed against hundreds of people. When these people have to wait for police reports for years, they are deprived of the opportunity to conduct business activities, travel abroad or receive medical treatment," he said.
