Harassment Through False Cases and Mob Violence Are Most Unfortunate Incidents Under Interim Government: Law Adviser

Law Adviser Professor Asif Nazrul has described harassment through false cases and mob violence as the most unfortunate incidents during the interim government's tenure. However, he noted that amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure have been made to protect individuals accused in such false cases.

Speaking at a press conference held at the Secretariat on Thursday afternoon, July 31, 2025, the Law Adviser highlighted the achievements of the Law Ministry over the past year. He stated, “I have repeatedly expressed my frustration and objection to false cases. I’ve said multiple times that the two most unfortunate incidents under our government are harassment through false cases—cases filed to frame and harass people—and mob violence, which I call ‘mob justice.’ These two issues deeply trouble us.”

To address false cases, Professor Nazrul explained that amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure have been introduced to allow courts to release individuals if there is insufficient evidence against them. Instead of waiting for a final police report, a preliminary report can be submitted to the court. If, for instance, a case is filed against 400 people but credible evidence exists only against 10-12, the court can immediately release the others. He added that the Home Ministry has taken initiatives in this regard, expressing hope that positive outcomes will be seen soon. Addressing accusations against the Law Ministry for the failures of other ministries, he said, “Don’t blame us for someone else’s shortcomings. We work as a team, but one ministry cannot interfere in another’s affairs.” When asked about the timing of the upcoming election, the Law Adviser responded, “Just wait; it will be announced in a few days.” **Withdrawal of Harassment Cases** Discussing the withdrawal of harassment cases, Professor Nazrul said that over 15,000 cases have been recommended for withdrawal after review. Additionally, 408 cases related to “speech offenses” under cyber laws and 752 harassment cases against students and citizens involved in the July-August uprising have been withdrawn. These actions have spared millions of political leaders, activists, and individuals with independent views from harassment.

During the press conference, the Law Adviser outlined key achievements of the Law Ministry over the past year. These include amendments to the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973, to align it with international justice standards; issuance of an ordinance for appointing Supreme Court judges; amendments to the Code of Civil Procedure and Code of Criminal Procedure; introduction of mandatory pre-trial mediation; amendments to the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act; revisions to the Power of Attorney Rules; issuance of the Cyber Security Ordinance; amendments to the Marriage Registration Rules; formulation of the Bangladesh Judicial Service Formation Rules, 2025; and rules for appointing Judicial Service members to the law and justice sector. He also highlighted various other initiatives undertaken by the ministry.