Withdrawal of 24,013 politically motivated harassment cases: Law Minister in Parliament

BanglaPress Desk: Law Minister Md. Asaduzzaman informed the National Parliament that a total of 24,013 cases—filed in the past for political reasons and intended to harass individuals—have been withdrawn so far. He shared this information on Tuesday (November 10) during the question-and-answer session on the second day of the fourth session of the National Parliament, in response to a written query from a Member of Parliament.

During the session, presided over by Speaker Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, *Bir Bikram*, Md. Keramat Ali—the Member of Parliament for the Chapainawabganj-1 constituency—inquired about the progress regarding the withdrawal of various cases filed in the past for political purposes. His question noted that thousands of people continue to face harassment because many false, politically motivated cases—filed during the previous "fascist" regime—remain unresolved. He sought to understand the reasons behind the delay in resolving these cases and asked whether there is a specific roadmap for their eventual resolution.

In response, the Law Minister explained that the process of withdrawing politically motivated, harassing cases began during the tenure of the interim government. Following the current government’s assumption of office, initiatives were taken to make this process more dynamic and effective. Consequently, on March 5, 2026, new committees were established at the district level to scrutinize applications for the withdrawal of such cases.

According to the Law Minister, the District Magistrate serves as the chairperson of these district-level committees, each of which consists of four members. A primary responsibility of these committees is to verify whether a case was filed for the purpose of political harassment and, if so, to recommend its withdrawal.

In this process, the committees review the application for withdrawal, the First Information Report (FIR), and—where applicable—a certified copy of the charge sheet. Additionally, the opinion of the relevant Public Prosecutor is taken into account. The district committees assess not only whether a case was politically motivated but also whether there is any public interest in continuing the prosecution, and whether the continuation of the case might potentially harm the interests of the state.

Once the recommendations from the district-level committees are received, they are examined, and subsequent actions are taken accordingly. The Law Minister proposed the formation of a committee at the central level to oversee this process in a coordinated manner. In response, it was noted that a six-member central committee—with the Law Minister serving as its convener—had already been established on March 8 of the same year.

The Law Minister further stated that upon receiving an application for the withdrawal of a case, the government would review the recommendations of the relevant district committee; if a case is found to be vexatious or intended for harassment, the government will take the necessary steps to have it withdrawn.