Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman announces the withdrawal of politically motivated cases in Bangladesh, with ongoing efforts to address remaining cases.
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman announced that 23,865 politically motivated harassment cases have been withdrawn in Bangladesh. He informed the Jatiya Sangsad on Thursday that efforts to withdraw the remaining cases are ongoing. [source]
In response to a question from opposition lawmaker Muhammad Ali Asgar, the minister stated that the government lacks precise statistics on harassment cases filed against BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and activists. This is because the First Information Report (FIR) does not include political identity at the time of filing. [source]
According to BNP’s central office, 142,983 false and harassment cases were filed against BNP leaders and activists from 2007 to January 11, 2025. No official data is available for cases against Jamaat-e-Islami leaders during the same period. [source]
The current government formed a four-member district-level committee on March 5, 2026, led by the district magistrate, to review and recommend the withdrawal of politically motivated cases. This committee evaluates applications for withdrawal, FIRs, charge sheets, and Public Prosecutors’ opinions. [source]
A six-member central committee, headed by the Law Minister, was established on March 8, 2026, to review district-level recommendations and take necessary actions regarding case withdrawals. [source]
"If a case is found to have been filed for political harassment, is not necessary in the public interest, and its continuation may harm the state, it recommends the case for withdrawal," said Md Asaduzzaman.
Sources
- https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/parliament/anm282jcbr — Details about the withdrawal of politically motivated cases and the government's efforts.