Law Minister Anisul Huq assured the Parliament on Sunday (February 25, 2024) that the government is dedicated to safeguarding press freedom and will not impose any restrictions on it. He highlighted upcoming legislation aimed at combating misinformation and fake news without infringing on media freedom. Addressing the Parliament in the absence of the State Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Mohammad Ali Arafat, Huq responded to concerns raised by Jatiya Party MP from Patuakhali, ABM Ruhul Amin Hawladar, regarding the spread of false news by online media outlets. Home Minister expresses hope for swift conclusion of BDR Carnage Case Hawladar questioned the necessity of a law to prohibit such practices, to which Minister Huq reaffirmed the constitutional guarantee of free speech and press freedom. “Law has to be made in that light and with due respect,” he said. He referenced the existing Cyber Security Act, indicating that it, along with forthcoming laws proposed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, aims to address the issue of misinformation responsibly. The government's approach is to prevent confusion and the spread of fake news through appropriate measures, not control, the Law Minister emphasized, ensuring that the press's freedom remains intact. Read more: Information Minister questions countries’ lack of concern when BBC office in India was searched

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq on Thursday (February 01, 2024) said the government is not harassing Noble Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus by filing false cases. “The government is not doing anything to harass Dr Muhammad Yunus. No false case is being filed against him. First a case was filed by workers and then the directorate responsible for protecting the rights of the workers filed a case.” He said this at a press conference on contemporary issues at the secretariat today. Read: 3 awarded life terms for 2015 murder in Cumilla  “Despite undisputable evidence, it is being spread abroad that the allegations against him (Yunus) are false, and it is being said that we are doing this to harass him,” said the minister. The minister said that the efforts being made at home and abroad to defame various institutions in Bangladesh centring on Yunus's case will be defeated. "As you know, according to the provisions of the Bangladesh Labour Act, an inspector can inspect any company if it is found that they are violating the law. In this case, on February 2, 2020, the inspector of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) first inspected Grameen Telecom as per the provisions of the Labour Act,” said Anisul. "He found out that some laws were being violated. Later, on March 1, he wrote a letter to Grameen Telecom seeking their explanation about these violations and asking them to correct those,” he said. Read: Take measures in preventing price hike of daily essentials: IGP  “Grameen Telecom's response was not satisfactory, and they (DIFE) inspected Grameen Telecom again on August 17, 2021. After seeing violations of the same law there, a letter was sent on August 19 stating that the law was being violated. In such a situation, a case was filed against Dr Yunus and Grameen Telecom on September 9,” added Anisul.

Bangladesh Armed Forces have earned a total Tk 27,941 crore by participating in different UN peacekeeping missions abroad in the 23 fiscal years since 2000-01. Law Minister Anisul Huq, who is in charge of defense ministry in parliament, gave the figures in the House while replying to a tabled question of ruling Awami League MP Habibur Rahman from Bogura-5. New censorship law passed in parliament Habibur Rahman wanted to know about the amount of foreign currencies the Armed Forces of Bangladesh have earned so far through participating in the peacekeeping missions and how much foreign remittances the government has received. New customs law passed in parliament In the scripted answer, Anisul informed the House that the average income through participating in the peacekeeping mission has been Tk 1214 crore. PM states Bangladesh’s anti-war position during meeting with Vice-President of European Parliament

Law Minister Anisul Huq on Wednesday (October 04, 2023) said there was no politics in not letting BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia go abroad for treatment. "It's a legal matter, there's no question of politics here. Her (Khaleda Zia's) family had filed an application, which has been disposed of. It was not in the law that she will be allowed to go abroad through this application. There was already a condition that she cannot go abroad, now there is no chance of changing it,” he said. Read: BNP-leaning United Lawyers’ Forum to boycott Chief Justice's reception The law minister said these at a press conference at the Secretariat. “BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir presented false, baseless and misleading information over the matter at a press conference,” he alleged. Asked whether there is any scope to change Khaleda Zia's conditional release, the law minister said if the condition is given, it should be obeyed. “I think the prime minister has done whatever is possible through exercising her power, there is no scope to use the power again.” Replying to another question the law minister said if anyone seeks prudential clemency, he/she has to confess the guilt. “. It is a constitutional right that anyone can appeal to the president.” Read: BNP plotting to form 1/11-like government: Quader On October 1, the Law Ministry rejected an application of Khaleda Zia’s family seeking permission for sending her abroad for treatment. On September 18, the government once again extended the suspension of Khaleda Zia’s jail term by another six months. Read: BNP will miss election bus if they stick to one-point demand: Salman F Rahman The 78-year-old former prime minister has been suffering from various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, kidney, lung, heart, and eye problems.

There will be no dialogue with the BNP over any unrealistic proposals, said Law Minister Anisul Huq on Sunday (July 09, 2023). “Election is the only solution and there will be no dialogue with the BNP on any unrealistic proposals, besides the prime minister has directly said that no dialogue will be held with them,” he said while talking to reporters after inaugurating a training course for judges and judicial officers at the Judicial Administration Training Institute (JATI). Read more: No dialogue with BNP on caretaker govt: Info Minister Talking about the RPO ('Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill, 2023 of the Election Commission, the power of EC was not curbed rather the rights of people are conserved through the amendment of RPO. Replying to a question about the allegation raised by the BNP that the government has sent a letter to the justice and police to dispose of the cases against the BNP leaders and activities within two months, the law minister said “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina-led government has established the rule of law and there is no doubt in it. If they (BNP) showed any letter over it then there will be discussion. I think they (BNP) are active in making false issues failing to find any other issue. I firmly said that neither any letter has been issued in this regard nor any verbal order.” Read more: Law enforcers are being used to secure ruling party’s interests: Rizvi

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq said on Tuesday the government will consider updating the Digital Security Act (DSA) if needed. “We are taking the criticism into consideration. The law was enacted for ensuring digital security, we will hold onto this aim,” he said. The minister sat in a meeting with the representatives of civil society when the parties discussed this law criticised by many terming it draconian. Many say the DSA is regularly used to harass people. “We discussed their concerns about the DSA. We will also talk about the Data Protection Act. We will again sit to discuss the laws,” he added. Both parties agreed to have another meeting on the DSA on March 30. Read more: Govt to sit with stakeholders on possible changes to DSA: Law Minister TIB Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said they demanded the abolition of the DSA. “We pointed out our concerns about the DSA. There is no chance to make the DSA acceptable. The law minister also talked about the misuse of this law. We think this law should be abolished,” he added. They will discuss the new draft of the Data Protection law in another meeting on April 6. “We would like to see the new draft positively. The government has given us an opportunity to review the draft. We hope they will consider suggestions,” said Iftekharuzzaman. Dhaka University International Relations Prof Dr CR Abrar, Supreme Court lawyer barrister Jyotirmoy Barua, academic and activist Rezaur Rahman Lenin, rights activist Md Saimum Reza Talukder, and Sharmin Khan, were present, among others.  

Law Minister Anisul Huq on Thursday said that there is no foreign pressure on the government about the upcoming national election. “If foreigners want to know (about election), we don't mind telling them about it as we do not do politics of killings or lies. We don't hide anything, so we have no objection and no hesitation to let the diplomats know about it,” Anisul said. He came up with the remarks while talking to reporters after a meeting with the ambassadors of Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, Spain and France led by EU Ambassador to Bangladesh Charles Whiteley at the secretariat in the afternoon. Read more: Petition for extending suspension of Khaleda’s jail term in hand: Law Minister The minister said they will not listen to anyone’s advice about the country's internal affairs as it is an independent nation. “We will do whatever is good for the citizens of the independent state,” he said. When asked if there was any discussion on participatory elections, the minister said, "We want a participatory election. We want everyone to take part in the election. I can also say that there is no question that the upcoming elections in Bangladesh will be free, fair and neutral.” Read more: Foreign diplomats lament rate of women's economic participation while lauding Bangladesh's progress in empowering them “We will not go outside the constitution. The election will be held in the way as mentioned in the constitution. We want all the political parties of Bangladesh to take part in the election. But who will take part in the election and who will not it is up to the political parties,” he said.  

The Law Ministry on Thursday received a petition seeking another extended suspension of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s jail term sent by the Homer Ministry. “The Law Ministry has received a file from the Home Ministry regarding the extension of Khaleda Zia's release term by suspending her sentence. We’ll send it back to the Home Ministry with our opinions,” Law Minister Anisul Huq told UNB. Replying to a question about whether the BNP chief will be allowed to go abroad this time, the minister said, he still did not see the file. “I’ve not received the file yet.  So, I can’t tell you what the file contains.” He, however, said the government first released Khaleda in 2020 with two conditions and her release term was extended several times with those conditions. “I think the previous conditions will also remain this time.” The BNP Chairperson younger brother Shamim Eskandar submitted a fresh application recently to the Home Ministry seeking a further extension to the suspended jail term of his sister as her release period will end on March 24 next. In the application, he also urged the government to relax the conditions of the BNP chief’s release and allow her to go abroad for treatment. In the previous applications, Khaleda’s family also sought permission to send her abroad for medical treatment.  This is the seventh time the BNP chief’s family sought an extension to her suspended jail term. The government accepted all the previous applications but did not give Khaleda permission to go abroad for treatment. On various occasions, the law minister explained that there was no legal scope to relax the conditions given by the government during Khaleda’s first release through an executive order. Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the government temporarily freed Khaleda Zia from jail through an executive order by suspending her sentence on March 25, 2020, with conditions that she would stay at her Gulshan house and would not leave the country. Since then, her release term has been extended every six months following the family's plea. The government has so far extended the convicted former prime minister’s conditional release six times, with the last extension on September 18, 2022. Khaleda was sent to the Old Dhaka Central Jail as a lower court sentenced her to five years' imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case on February 8, 2018. Later, she was found guilty and convicted in another corruption case the same year. The 77-year-old BNP chief has been staying at her Gulshan residence since her release in 2020. She also received treatment at Evercare Hospital in the capital six times since she was infected with Covid-19 in April 2021 As per her physicians, Khaleda has been suffering from various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, kidney, lung, heart, and eye problems. They have long been saying that the BNP chief needs to receive treatment in any advanced medical centre abroad for her critical diseases, including liver cirrhosis.

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq said on Monday that every country should have the ‘Data Protection Act’.   The minister came up with the reply a day after US Ambassador in Dhaka Peter Haas said that many US organisations would have to leave Bangladesh once the draft law is passed. The Law Minister made his statement while replying to questions from journalists after inaugurating the ‘11th Orientation Course of Additional District and Sessions Judges’ at the auditorium of Justice Administration Training Institute in the capital. He said corrections will be made if any inconsistency is detected in the drafted law (Data Protection Act) after discussion with the stakeholders. The minister said the justice division is working to provide low cost and quick services despite being burdened with some 37 lakh pending cases. He said that reducing the huge gridlock of the pending cases is a big challenge. Read more: Law Minister in staunch defence of Digital Security Act He advised the additional district and sessions judges detailing how to reduce the huge number of pending cases by using their own experiences. The training institute Director General Justice Nazmun Ara Sultan chaired the function where Secretary to the Law and Justice division Md Golam Sarwar also spoke.

The ‘Bangladesh Supreme Court Judges (Leave, Pension and Privileges) Bill, 2023’ was placed in Parliament on Monday with a provision of a monthly special allowance of Tk 70,000 for a retired chief justice. Law minister Anisul Huq moved the Bill and it was passed by voice vote. As per the Bill, a “Chief Justice” means the Chief Justice of Bangladesh while “Judge” means a Judge of Appellate Division and High Court Division of the Supreme Court and includes the Chief Justice and Additional Judges. The special allowance will be given to meet expenses such as paying for domestic help, car driver, house guard and maintenance of office-cum-residence. The draft law was brought to formulate a law repealing an ordinance of the military regime as per a judgment of the High Court. The proposed law will replace the Supreme Court Judges (Leave, Pension and Privileges) Ordinance, 1982. It says the leave granted to a judge may, at his option, be either- leave on full salary; or leave on half salary; or leave partly on full salary and partly on half salary. For the purpose of this part, any period of leave on full salary shall be reckoned as double the period of leave on half salary. The aggregate amount of leave granted to a judge during the whole period of service as such shall not exceed, in terms of leave on half salary, 36 months. Read more: JS passes Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation Bill, 2022 The period of leave granted at any one time shall not exceed, in the case of leave on full salary. The monthly rate of leave salary payable to a judge while on leave on full salary shall be equal to the monthly rate of his salary. The monthly rate of leave salary payable to a Judge while on leave on half salary shall be equal to half the monthly rate of his salary. A judge shall be entitled to draw his leave salary in Bangladeshi currency only. A judge shall, on his retirement, resignation or removal, be paid a pension in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance if he or she has- completed not less than five years of service for pension and attained the retiring age; or completed not less than ten years of service for pension and, before attaining the retiring age, resigned; or completed not less than five years of service for pension and, before attaining the retiring age, either resigned, his resignation having been medically certified to be necessitated by ill health, or been removed for physical or mental incapacity. The chief justice will get Tk 4.50 lakh as injury gratuity and Tk 1.50 lakh for annual pension while the amount for both is Tk 4.50 and Tk 1.40 lakh respectively for justice or additional justice. Read more: 21st Parliament session to continue till Feb 9 The chief justice will get Tk 5 lakh as family gratuity and Tk 1.40 lakh for annual pension while the amount for both is Tk 4 lakh and Tk 1.20 lakh respectively for justice or additional justice. The children of justices will get Tk 20,000 if the mother is not alive while Tk 12,000 if the mother is alive.