Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman has told Parliament that the Bangladesh Bar Council is an autonomous institution, and the government does not interfere in its internal decisions.
He clarified that the Bar Council election was postponed following requests from various bar associations and in consideration of the upcoming Dhaka Bar polls.
Asaduzzaman made these remarks in Parliament on Thursday while responding to a point of order raised by Rangpur-4 lawmaker Akhtar Hossain. During the session, Akhtar questioned whether the election’s postponement was due to the power crisis or driven by political motives.
In response, the law minister noted that while the MP mentioned “pandemic” and “Act of God,” he had overlooked the legal provision regarding “for any other reasonable cause.” He remarked that the member understood the matter but only presented the parts that suited his argument.
The minister further explained that the Bar Council, as a statutory body, makes independent decisions. He noted that the Bar Council had received requests for postponement from several bar associations, including the Dhaka Bar Association.
He highlighted that the Dhaka Bar is the largest in Asia, with more than 22,000 lawyers, and they had requested the deferment due to their own upcoming internal election process. The Bar Council merely honoured that request.
Rejecting allegations that the election was delayed due to the energy crisis or political reasons, the law minister stated that the government initiated the Bar Council election process immediately after taking office.
He emphasised that the government desires the election to be held through a normal process.
Asaduzzaman maintained that the Bar Council reached this decision independently, using its own judgement and wisdom to ensure a smooth electoral environment and to address the demands of the lawyers.
He reiterated that there has been no interference from the government in this matter.
