Law minister’s speech in Geneva embarrasses us: Shahdeen Malik

Supreme Court lawyer Shahdeen Malik has said, “There is no protection in the country. The prevalence of extrajudicial killings and the absence of any form of accountability for these killings are signs of a failing state.”

He was addressing a programme at the National Press Club Saturday morning.

The programme regarding implementation of the United Nations’ convention against torture, ‘Bangladesh government’s primary report: The anti-torture committee’s statement and our response,’ was organised by the Committee for the Protection of Fundamental Rights.

The committee for the protection of fundamental rights felt it was positive that Bangladesh had submitted a report to the UN anti-torture committee for the first time after 20 years.

However, it said that the report submitted by law minister Anisul Huq in Geneva was an unrealistic one. The civic body said that the minister’s report listed a lot of laws, but evaded issues about application of these laws.

Presiding over the meeting, Shahdeen Malik said, “The statement made by the law minister in Geneva embarrasses me as a lawyer.”

Human rights activist Sara Hossain, speaking on the occasion, said that the government report had avoided many issues.

Lawyer Jyotirmoy Barua said, there was no move to prevent or address the issue of torture and that was why death in police custody continued. He said there were anti-torture laws, but these were not implemented.

It was stated at the meeting that the government delegation in Geneva had responded to the UN committee’s queries by quoting from the constitution and other laws pertaining to various acts of violence and cruelty, but had endeavoured to conceal the actual state of affairs in this regard.

The committee for the protection of fundamental rights felt that a large section of the law enforcement, of the ruling coterie and various vested quarters, were above law and justice.

The UN anti-torture committee mentioned in its closing remarks that many questions remained unanswered.