Law Adviser Asif Nazrul said establishing the rule of law remains the country’s biggest challenge, although notable progress has been made in recent months.
He cautioned that lasting success would be difficult without sincerity and commitment from an elected government after the next election.
Addressing critics, the adviser said claims that no reforms have been carried out are inaccurate, adding that such a volume of reforms has never been achieved in Bangladesh within such a short period.
Referring to the economy, he said the exchange rate has remained stable while remittance inflows have increased, noting that mechanisms to retain foreign currency have now been put in place where none existed before.
Asif Nazrul said six out of ten recommendations put forward by reform bodies have been accepted, arguing that it is misleading to suggest that no recommendations were implemented, while warning that negativity can influence public perception.
He said independence without accountability does not bring success and stressed that judges of the higher judiciary must strictly adhere to the code of conduct.
Legal aid services have increased fivefold, he said, adding that the framework for judicial independence is now in place, but accountability remains key to delivering justice.
The remarks were made at a policy dialogue titled “Judicial Independence and the Rule of Law” organised by the Centre for Governance Studies at the Centre for Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific auditorium in Dhaka.
The event brought together political leaders, civil society representatives, academics, lawyers and human rights activists to discuss safeguarding judicial independence, accountability of state power and equality before the law in a democratic state.
Speakers included Jatiya Party General Secretary Shamim Haider Patwary, former Communist Party of Bangladesh General Secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince, Gono Forum President Subrata Chowdhury, BNP former minister Nilufar Chowdhury Moni and British School of Law Vice Principal Barrister Nusrat Khan, and many others.
