Judiciary fully independent: Law Minister

Law Minister Anisul Huq. File photo

Law Minister Anisul Huq on Friday said that the country’s judiciary has been fully independent during the tenure of Awami League.

He said this while speaking at a reception programme organised by Kasba Upazila Samity at Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh.

He dubbed BNP’s allegation about lack of rule of law “a total nonsense”. 

“We don’t control anything,” the minister said. “[BNP chief] Khaleda Zia is in jail in a case filed against her during the caretaker government.”

Khaleda, a former prime minister, has been in jail since February 8 last year after a subordinate court sentenced her to five years’ imprisonment in Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case. The High Court later doubled her sentence.

She was also convicted in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case.

“The judiciary has been working independently. Institutions that are constitutionally independent will remain independent,” Minister Huq said. “We believe in a free judiciary for the development of the people.”