Despite the reservations of the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) the government has decided to continue withdrawing "politically motivated" cases filed against ruling party men.
The scrutiny committee, formed by the current government in 2009 to sort out cases that potentially bear political motivations, is likely to hold a meeting to consider 645 such cases.
State Minister for Law Quamrul Islam heads the committee. State Minister for Home Shamsul Haque Tuku is also a member of the committee since the home ministry is currently providing secretarial assistance.
The previous meeting of the committee was held on September 29, 2012, and the first was held in July 2009.
The committee had already suggested that the home ministry should withdraw 7,101 cases – including 345 ACC-filed ones – out of the total 11,113 applications they have received for the withdrawal of political cases in the last four years.
A total of 10,468 applications have already been scrutinised, leaving 645 applications which have yet to be tabled before the committee.
Quamrul Islam, scrutiny committee chief, said the committee would sit again soon to scrutinise those applications. It will take a meeting or two to do so.
He said the committee is putting forward its recommendations to the government for the withdrawal of politically motivated cases very cautiously, so no criminal is able to take advantage of it.
“We have found something wrong with some of those cases that we recommended for withdrawal but later we cancelled them,” he said.
Meanwhile, Transparency International Bangladesh’s (TIB) Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman told Dhaka Tribune that withdrawal of cases is a violation of rules of law and the independence of the judiciary.
“If those are political cases it will be proved in the court. Why should the government withdraw them by a political decision?” he asked.
He continued to say that the withdrawal of cases will encourage corruption and crime all over the country, which is in conflict with the government's pledges.
Out of 7,101 cases already recommended for withdrawal, the government found 248 cases controversial, involving charges of murder and other crimes. Of these, 38 cases were filed by the ACC and 210 under other sections of penal codes. Most of the accused in those cases were found to be professional killers.
Later, the ministry cancelled its recommendations to withdraw those cases and decided that the court should continue the trials.
Public prosecutors were directed to handle those cases carefully so that the accused could not get bail, the home ministry officials said.
The committee rejected a total of 3,515 applications, including the 248 that they deemed controversial, as they found them ineligible for cancellation or withdrawal.
Cases against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Deputy Leader of Parliament Sazeda Chowdhury, Awami League MP Kamal Ahmed Majumdar, AL leader Hazi Md Selim, Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, his son Dipu Chowdhury, Lakshmipur’s AL leader Taher’s son Jewel were withdrawn.
In addition, cases against the BNP chief’s son Tarique Rahman and BNP leader Moudud Ahmed were also withdrawn in the last four years.
Meanwhile, new ACC Chief M Badiuzzaman told reporters after his appointment as ACC chairman that no cases of ACC would be withdrawn as politically motivated cases during his tenure as ACC chief.
He said the ACC had not withdrawn any cases suggested by the scrutiny committee.
With regard the ACC chief's comment, Quamrul said the scrutiny committee asked the ACC to withdraw the cases that it considered to be politically motivated, but added that “it’s at their discretion if they will accept our suggestion or not. They will do their job.”