Staff Reporter :
Law Minister Anisul Huq on Thursday said that the government is considering a ban on hartal upon the will of the people in view of the prevailing situation in the country.
“The government may formulate a law to ban hartal if it is the desire of the people,” the Minister told reporters at the question-answer session during a “Meet the Reporters” programme organised by Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU) in its office in Dhaka. The government will not endorse any such law unacceptable to people, said the Law Minister said.
Relating to the confinement of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, the Minister reiterated the government’s stance that she was not confined and not being held from leaving the house. “The policemen deployed are just for her security.”
And, in line with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ‘harsher’ stance against BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami’s agitation, the Law Minister said the cases of “violence and terrorism” would be treated in line with the Anti-Terrorism Act-2009. He said that the government will formulate a fresh law in April or May for the appointment for the Supreme Court judges.
“The present government has taken effective steps for bringing absconding killers of Bangabandhu and fugitive war crimes convicts back to Bangladesh from abroad for executing their sentences,” he added. Bangabandhu’s killer Noor Chowdhury is now in Canada while another killer Rashed Chowdhury is now in the USA. The government has ensured that they cannot leave those countries, he said. “After its approval in the Cabinet, a bill will be placed in the Parliament for its passage,” Anisul Huq said. Replying to a question, Anisul Huq said this government is protecting freedom of speech and freedom of expression as these are guaranteed by the Constitution.
In reply to another enquiry, the Minister said he will take steps against the law enforcers who had entered the New Age office and misbehaved with the officials. “The real killers of journalist couple Sagor Sarwar and Meherun Runi will be traced through the ongoing investigation. It will take time to complete the investigation,” he added.
