Dhaka:The government has withdrawn 24,013 cases that were filed on political grounds during the previous regime, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman informed Parliament today.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Asaduzzaman responded to a question from opposition lawmaker Md Keramat Ali during the question-answer session in the Jatiya Sangsad, stating that these cases were initially filed for harassment. The minister explained that the process of withdrawing such cases began during the interim government, and the current administration has worked to accelerate and improve the efficiency of this process.
A district-level four-member committee was established on March 5, 2026, with the Deputy Commissioner as the chairperson. This committee is responsible for evaluating applications for case withdrawal, examining first information reports, charge sheets, and public prosecutor opinions. The committee recommends withdrawal if they determine that a case was filed for political harassment, is unnecessary for public interest, or harmful to state interests.
The minister also mentioned the formation of a six-member central committee on March 8, 2026, led by the Law Minister, to review district committee recommendations and oversee the case-withdrawal process. The government intends to take necessary actions to withdraw any politically motivated harassment cases, following district committee recommendations and received applications.