Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul has said while advisers do not need a “safe exit,” the nation as a whole urgently does- to free itself from a destructive and dysfunctional system that has persisted for years.
Speaking at a national consultation on the “National Human Rights Commission Draft Ordinance 2025” at the InterContinental Hotel in Dhaka on Saturday morning, he said, “As a nation, we need a safe exit.
“For the past 16 years, we have witnessed misrule, enforced disappearances, killings, and rampant corruption. We must find a safe exit from this sick, horrific, and self-destructive structure.”
Clarifying his stance, he added, “Many are now talking about a safe exit. As advisers, we don’t need one. But the nation must have a safe exit from this dreadful state mechanism.”
Reflecting on institutional shortcomings, he said, “It is unrealistic to think that good laws alone can transform the country. The number of failed laws is few, but our institutional failures are limitless because of deep-rooted constraints.”
Nazrul also noted that the President has never appointed the chief justice independently. It had always been done according to the Prime Minister’s will.
“A good law forms a foundation, but we shouldn’t expect miracles from it. My hope is that the new human rights law will evolve into a strong institution,” he said, urging for robust institutions like the Human Rights Commission, parliamentary committees, and the higher judiciary.
At the same event, Housing and Public Works Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan said, “Before the upcoming election, we must ensure that genuine work is done to uphold human rights. Today’s Bangladesh is a new one, born of sacrifice, and we must rebuild it for the future.”
