Any Jamaat leader involved in war crimes will face trial

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq yesterday said if any Jamaat-e-Islami leader is found to have links with war crimes, he will have to face trial -- no matter which name the party takes in future.

“Jamaat's appeal against the High Court judgement that cancelled its registration as a political party is currently pending with the Appellate Division. If the apex court upholds the High Court order, Jamaat's registration will finally be scrapped and they will not be able to operate in Bangladesh as a political party,” he told reporters.

The minister was talking to the press at the secretariat after receiving the proclamation of New York state governor to observe September 25 as “Bangladesh Immigration Day” from Muktodhara Foundation.

Muktodhara Foundation general secretary Biswajit Saha and member Eusuf Reza handed the proclamation to the minister.

The law minister further said the government is considering appointing 30 percent public prosecutors in the current tenure through the Judicial Service Commission and the rest will be appointed from the political quota.

“We are considering increasing salaries of public prosecutors. I hope the salary hike will become effective from July 1, 2020. We would need an extra Tk 267 crore for this. I have already talked to the prime minister in this regard,” he said.

Meanwhile, the law minister at a separate programme at the Supreme Court yesterday said e-judiciary system will be introduced in the country in phases.

He said this while inaugurating e-filing service at Solicitor Bhaban at the Supreme Court. He added that this technology will help detect corruption and increase accountability.

The law minister said the attorney general office and solicitor office will be brought under CCTV camera coverage within a month.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam at the programme said e-filing service would also be introduced at his office and other judicial offices.

“E-filing service would become handy in stopping bail fraud,” he said.

Presided over by Law Division Secretary Abu Saleh Sheikh Md Zahirul Haque, the inauguration function was addressed by Solicitor Jesmin Ara, among others.