Laws from the British and Pakistan periods that have become ineffective or irrelevant in the present context will be identified and either amended or newly enacted as needed, Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman said.
The minister was responding to a question from lawmaker Md Fazle Huda during the Jatiya Sangsad session on Thursday.
He also said the Bangladesh Laws (Revision and Declaration) Act, 1973 was enacted to build a coherent legal framework after independence.
Through this Act, laws, applicable from 26 March 1971, and presidential orders and parliamentary legislation, were reviewed, amended and repealed to consolidate the legal system.
He further said that laws deemed irrelevant or ineffective in Bangladesh’s context were repealed, while some were declared not part of Bangladesh law. Over time, amendments have been made to keep laws up to date, and new legislation has been introduced to meet emerging realities.
The minister said the government will gradually amend or re‑enact British and Pakistan‑era laws that have lost relevance, taking stakeholder opinions into account.
He added that the Law Commission has already begun work, and the government will act on its recommendations.
23,865 political cases withdrawn since AL’s fall
Minister Asaduzzaman told the parliament that 23,865 “politically motivated” cases have been withdrawn since the Awami League government was ousted on 5 August 2024 amid mass protests.
Replying to a scripted question from opposition MP Muhammad Ali Asgar (Pabna‑3), he said the process to drop the remaining cases is ongoing.
The government has no exact figures on how many “harassment cases” were filed against BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami activists nationwide, as political identity is not recorded in First Information Reports (FIRs).
Citing BNP central office data, Asaduzzaman said between 2007 and 11 January 2025, a total of 142,983 “false and harassment cases” were filed against BNP leaders and activists. No official statistics exist for Jamaat during that period.
He added that after taking office, the government set up four‑member district committees on 5 March 2026, headed by district magistrates, to review applications for withdrawal.
These committees examine FIRs, charge sheets and prosecutors’ opinions before recommending cases for withdrawal if they are politically motivated, unnecessary in the public interest, or harmful to the state.
To oversee the process, a six‑member central committee led by the law minister was formed on 8 March 2026 to review district recommendations and take final action.
