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Wednesday, 19 February, 2025

Govt to Revoke Ghost and DSA Cases, Says Asif Nazrul

Express Report
  23 Jan 2025, 02:52
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Prof. Dr. Asif Nazrul held a press conference at the Secretariat on Tuesday. Photo: PID

Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Prof. Dr. Asif Nazrul announced today that over 2,500 "ghost" cases, filed during the previous Awami League government across 25 districts, have been identified, with plans to withdraw them within the next seven days.

Speaking at a press conference at the secretariat, Nazrul explained that the process of identifying these cases began immediately after the interim government appointed public prosecutors. He emphasized that steps have been taken to withdraw these "harassment" cases, many of which were considered "ghost" cases. "We have already identified over 2,500 ghost cases in 25 districts, and more may emerge. All such cases should be withdrawn by February," he stated.

Nazrul further explained that following the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, amid a popular student-led uprising, many law officers fled the courts. This prompted the interim government to appoint 4,000 new law officers from a pool of thousands of lawyers.

The adviser outlined the criteria used to identify ghost cases, such as whether the cases were filed by the police, whether they involved serious offenses like the Explosives Act or Arms Act, and whether they were filed during major opposition movements, including those by the BNP. He noted that many cases involved unknown or fictitious accused.

Nazrul also addressed the imposition of a tax on marriage registration, which the law ministry has now canceled, calling it unreasonable.

On the Digital Security Act (DSA), he mentioned that the ICT Division is working on either withdrawing or amending the act. "There are various opinions on the matter, and the concerned ministry is working on the details. However, we are taking steps to withdraw the cases filed under this act, and the ICT Division will decide its future," he explained. Out of the 332 cases filed under the DSA, 113 have already been withdrawn through the public prosecutor, and 57 are still under investigation. Nazrul expects all such cases to be withdrawn within two weeks.

He also highlighted the recent issuance of the gazette notification for the Supreme Court Judge Appointment Ordinance, 2025. Nazrul pointed out that many unqualified judges had been appointed previously due to party considerations, but the new draft law, developed by the Chief Justice's Office and the Reform Commission, aims to address this. The law proposes the establishment of a Judicial Appointment Council, led by the Chief Justice, to oversee future appointments.

Additionally, Nazrul mentioned ongoing efforts to establish a separate secretariat for the judiciary, a long-standing demand with national consensus. He also shared that the Law Ministry has fully digitized the process of attesting documents, which previously required manual processing. This move, which began on December 13, is expected to save both time and money for the public.

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Govt to Revoke Ghost and DSA Cases, Says Asif Nazrul

Express Report
  23 Jan 2025, 02:52
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Prof. Dr. Asif Nazrul held a press conference at the Secretariat on Tuesday. Photo: PID

Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Prof. Dr. Asif Nazrul announced today that over 2,500 "ghost" cases, filed during the previous Awami League government across 25 districts, have been identified, with plans to withdraw them within the next seven days.

Speaking at a press conference at the secretariat, Nazrul explained that the process of identifying these cases began immediately after the interim government appointed public prosecutors. He emphasized that steps have been taken to withdraw these "harassment" cases, many of which were considered "ghost" cases. "We have already identified over 2,500 ghost cases in 25 districts, and more may emerge. All such cases should be withdrawn by February," he stated.

Nazrul further explained that following the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, amid a popular student-led uprising, many law officers fled the courts. This prompted the interim government to appoint 4,000 new law officers from a pool of thousands of lawyers.

The adviser outlined the criteria used to identify ghost cases, such as whether the cases were filed by the police, whether they involved serious offenses like the Explosives Act or Arms Act, and whether they were filed during major opposition movements, including those by the BNP. He noted that many cases involved unknown or fictitious accused.

Nazrul also addressed the imposition of a tax on marriage registration, which the law ministry has now canceled, calling it unreasonable.

On the Digital Security Act (DSA), he mentioned that the ICT Division is working on either withdrawing or amending the act. "There are various opinions on the matter, and the concerned ministry is working on the details. However, we are taking steps to withdraw the cases filed under this act, and the ICT Division will decide its future," he explained. Out of the 332 cases filed under the DSA, 113 have already been withdrawn through the public prosecutor, and 57 are still under investigation. Nazrul expects all such cases to be withdrawn within two weeks.

He also highlighted the recent issuance of the gazette notification for the Supreme Court Judge Appointment Ordinance, 2025. Nazrul pointed out that many unqualified judges had been appointed previously due to party considerations, but the new draft law, developed by the Chief Justice's Office and the Reform Commission, aims to address this. The law proposes the establishment of a Judicial Appointment Council, led by the Chief Justice, to oversee future appointments.

Additionally, Nazrul mentioned ongoing efforts to establish a separate secretariat for the judiciary, a long-standing demand with national consensus. He also shared that the Law Ministry has fully digitized the process of attesting documents, which previously required manual processing. This move, which began on December 13, is expected to save both time and money for the public.

Comments

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Writers, Publishers, and Activists Demand Poet Galib’s Release Within 72 Hours
All Set, No Disruptions Expected: DMP Chief on AL’s Hartal Plan