Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman emphasized that filing a case no longer guarantees an arrest, marking a shift in the government’s approach to handling accusations. Speaking at a press briefing held at the Chittagong Press Club, he acknowledged the prevalence of false cases while assuring that thorough investigations are conducted before any legal actions are finalized.
"I am not denying that false cases are being filed under various pretexts. However, unlike during the past fascist governments, these cases are neither initiated by the state nor the police. Instead, the government has decided that filing a case does not automatically result in an arrest. When someone is falsely implicated as an accused, thorough investigations are conducted before submitting the charge sheet. After investigations and verifications, the actual culprits will be apprehended. We have kept the doors of justice open for everyone," the Attorney General said.
Highlighting statistics from the past 15 years, Asaduzzaman disclosed that over six million individuals have been named as accused in various cases, most initiated by law enforcement agencies. He assured that the practice of filing false cases by the police is a thing of the past.
"Over the past 15 years, more than six million people have been named as accused in various cases, most of which were filed by law enforcement agencies. The police no longer file false cases," he said.
During the briefing, the Attorney General expressed grave concern over the recent brutal murder of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif, calling for unity in preventing such incidents in the future.
"We do not want a recurrence of such incidents in Bangladesh. The nation has once again united through the bloodshed of martyr Advocate Saiful Islam Alif. If we remain united in this way, all conspiracies will be thwarted. There is no communal unrest or division in Bangladesh. However, a specific group, certain quarters, and a particular country are propagating against the state to disrupt communal harmony," he remarked.
On the subject of justice for crimes against humanity, he added, "Whether it involves journalists or anyone else, those involved in genocide or crimes against humanity will be held accountable according to the law. It should be remembered that while journalists’ influence may be vast, the reach of the law and the state is even greater."
Prior to the discussion, the Attorney General, accompanied by senior lawyers and officials, visited the grave of Advocate Saiful Islam Alif in Lohagara. The delegation included Supreme Court Bar Association Secretary Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajal, Additional Attorney General Arshadur Rouf, General Secretary of Gano Forum Advocate Subrata Chowdhury, and Bangladesh Bar Council member Advocate Badrul Anwar. They also met with Alif’s family members to offer condolences.
The discussion was chaired by Chittagong Press Club interim committee convenor and District Commissioner Farida Khanam and moderated by Golam Maola Murad, Bureau Chief of Global Television. Other speakers included interim committee member-secretary Jahidul Karim Kochi, interim committee member Mustafa Naim, NTV Bureau Chief Shamsul Haque Haideri, CMUJ President Mohammad Shah Nawaz, CMUJ General Secretary Saleh Noman, Wahid Zaman, and Russell Ahmed, central coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.
The meeting reflected on the importance of justice, communal harmony, and the need to thwart conspiracies threatening Bangladesh’s stability.
