24,013 Politically Motivated Harassment Cases Withdrawn: Law Minister

A total of 24,013 cases filed for political reasons and allegedly intended to harass individuals in previous years have so far been withdrawn, Law Minister Md. Asaduzzaman has said.

The minister disclosed the information during the question-and-answer session on the second day of the fourth session of the Jatiya Sangsad on Tuesday (November 10).

The session was presided over by Speaker Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram.

The information was provided in response to a written question from Karamat Ali, a Member of Parliament from Chapainawabganj-1. Md. Asaduzzaman, who is responsible for parliamentary affairs, responded to the question.

In his question, Karamat Ali pointed out that thousands of people continued to face harassment as various allegedly false and politically motivated cases filed during the previous authoritarian regime remained unresolved.

He asked why the cases had not yet been settled and whether the government had a roadmap outlining when they would be resolved.

In response, the law minister said the process of withdrawing cases filed for political harassment began during the interim government.

After assuming office, the current government took special initiatives to accelerate and make the process more effective.

As part of these efforts, four-member committees were formed at the district level on March 5, 2026, under the chairmanship of the respective District Magistrates.

Explaining the committees' procedures, the minister said they examine applications for case withdrawal, first information reports (FIRs), certified copies of charge sheets where applicable, and opinions from public prosecutors.

The committees consider whether a case was filed with the intention of political harassment, whether continuing the prosecution serves the public interest, and whether keeping the case ongoing could adversely affect the interests of the state.

Only after examining these factors do the committees recommend the withdrawal of a case, he said.

The law minister further said that a six-member central committee was formed on March 8 of the same year, with the law minister serving as its convener.

The central committee was established to review recommendations made by district-level committees and coordinate the overall case withdrawal process.

He added that if a case is found to have been filed for harassment following the district committees' recommendations and subsequent review, the government will continue taking the necessary legal steps to withdraw it.

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