Play store
Law Minister Asaduzzaman said the government has been demonstrating a “zero-tolerance policy” towards politically motivated false cases for more than six months.
“A strong human rights commission is functioning in the country, and the selection committee includes the prime minister and the leader of the opposition, reflecting constitutional governance,” he said.
The minister made the remarks at an event marking US Constitution Day at the Senate Building of the University of Dhaka on Thursday morning.
US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T Christensen, Dhaka University Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Abdus Salam, constitutional experts, academics and students attended the event, organised by the US Embassy in Dhaka.
According to a statement issued by the US Mission in Dhaka, Asaduzzaman said the democratic frameworks of the US Constitution, adopted in 1787, and Bangladesh’s Constitution, adopted in 1972, have significant similarities.
He said Bangladesh’s Supreme Court exercises a jurisdiction similar to the doctrine of “judicial review” applied by the US Supreme Court.
“People in Bangladesh have always drawn inspiration from the struggle against authoritarianism and fascism,” he said.
The law minister also claimed that more than one million BNP leaders and activists had faced political persecution in the past and that around 99 percent of the cases had been filed by law enforcement agencies.
Speaking at the event, Ambassador Christensen highlighted how continued debate, persistent efforts to reach consensus, and emphasis on the separation of powers, judicial independence and the authority to amend the Constitution have contributed to the strength and durability of the US Constitution.
He also said that for more than 200 years, the US Constitution has inspired democratic systems in countries around the world.
