Independence of judiciary adds to case backlog: PM

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said that the complications and congestion of cases increased in the name of independence of the judiciary.

‘You people are aware that a problem has been created in the name of judiciary’s independence resulting in increased complications and congestion of cases,’ Hasina said at a news conference, she had called at Ganabhaban to brief the media about her Azerbaijan visit to attend the 18th Non-Aligned Summit.

Responding to a query about the recent verdict in the case over the murder of Feni madrassah student Nusrat Jahan Rafi, Hasina said that the trial was completed speedily as Nusrat was able to give a statement before her death.

‘Eye witnesses are very important in murder cases. Nusrat’s statement was important evidence in this case,’ she said, adding that sometimes the trial process get delayed due to r lack of evidence and witnesses.

‘In this case, the public sentiment played an important role and the media also deserves praise for helping find out all the facts in the Nusrat murder case. And, that’s why the trial could be completed speedily,’ she said.

The government would, in future, take the steps needed to solve cases speedily, just like the Nusrat murder case, said Sheikh Hasina.

She said that the congestion of cases increased as the number of cases increased in courts as  some of them were earlier disposed of by magistrates’ courts.

She said that this happened as the judiciary had taken all the cases on their shoulders for which they cannot handle the consequent situation.

Even then, said Hasina, an example had been set by delivering the verdict speedily in the Nusrat murder case.

On November 1, 2007, separation of the judiciary from the executive came into force.

Responding a question regarding the on-going drive against corruption, illegal casinos and money makers, the prime minister said that the drive that had begun against the ruling Awami League and front organizations would be bolstered.

No one knows who would be arrested and when, said Sheikh Hasina.

‘I have taken the decision to conduct the drives and I gave the responsibility to the person who can perfectly do it,’ she said and criticized the main opposition BNP for describing the drive as ‘nothing but eyewash.’

‘Wait and see, it will be clear whether or not the drive is an eyewash,’ said Hasina. 

She said that the two main corrupt persons — BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and BNP acting chairperson Tarique Rahman had already been punished and some other leaders of this party would be punished in the coming days.

Hasina also said that she had directed the home minister to make a policy to allow casinos on select islands.

She also said that she had got some evidences including audio clips of telephonic conversations between an editor of a daily and the managing director of a bank in which the editor asked the banker to tell the board chairman that negative reports would be published against him to destroy his life unless he was given money.

She said that the word ‘fear does not exist in her dictionary’ and that’s why she could start the anti-corruption drive in her own party.

About the recent remark of Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon over the December 30 general election, Hasina said, ‘He might have made the comment out of frustration as he became, intentionally or unintentionally, the chairman of a club having a casino.

He was elected in the same way and the people accepted the elections, she said, adding that the 14-party alliance solved the matter of which his party is a partner.

About the high price of onion, the prime minister described the crisis as ‘temporary’ and said that there was nothing to worry about it.

She said that 55,000 tonnes of imported onion was on its way to Bangladesh.

Many foods can be cooked without onion, she said, adding that many items were cooked at her home without onion.

The prime minister said that Sourav Ganguly, the Board of Control for Cricket in India Ganguly invited her to be present at a cricket match in Kolkata.

‘I will join the inauguration of the cricket tournament in Kolkata as Sourav Ganguly had invited me. Sourav Ganguly, and not the prime minister of India or the chief minister of West Bengal, invited me and ‘I feel there was no need for protocol with a neighbour country all the time,’ said Hasina.

In her prepared statement about her Azerbaijan tour, Hasina said her participation in the NAM Summit in Baku further strengthened Bangladesh’s position in the international arena.

She said, ‘NAM is the second largest multilateral forum after the United Nations, and NAM alongside the UN was playing very important role in resolving the Rohingya crisis.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net