The government will not do anything regarding reforms in the existing quota system in government jobs bypassing the court, law minister Anisul Huq said Tuesday.
He was speaking as the chief guest at a seminar on "Bangladesh with no justice: Illegal indemnity law and an imprisoned leader (Sheikh Hasina)" at the National Press Club today.
Bangladesh Progressive Columnists’ Forum organised the seminar, said a media release of the ministry.
The law minister said when an issue goes to the court, the government waits about what the court says. Then the time comes for the government to take steps. That is why the government will wait until the court announces its verdict.
Mentioning that the government respects the apex court, Anisul Huq further said the government will consider the verdict of the court and will try to carry out that.
The government won’t do anything regarding the quota system bypassing the court, he insisted.
Speaking about the quota system, the law minister said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina abolished the quota system in 2018. Later seven or eight progenies of freedom fighters filed a writ with the court. But those who are waging the movement today did not move the court. They started the movement when newspapers carried reports about the court verdict. They have decided to wage the movement on the streets instead of going to court.
He said the spontaneously demonstrating students can raise their points before the court through a lawyer and the court will consider those. The apex court assured them of this. Is there any necessity to wage a movement after this, he asked. Is there any necessity of chanting the slogans that are being used?
“Today we are hearing about the slogans from the students in continuation of the indemnity law. I surely would say those, who have been waging the movement, are on the right track, if they had chanted slogans like, ‘who are you, who am I, we are Bangali, children of freedom fighters.”
“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will listen to what is rational and do what would be better. But her government will not deviate from its ideals. That ideal is Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country’s liberation war and the freedom fighters. None can harm the spirit of liberation war; none can disrespect the freedom fighters. We have to move ahead with that spirit. We have to engage in struggles to build a Bangladesh that is developed and where rule of law exists by 2041,” he added.
The law minister said the indemnity ordinance gave birth to lack of trial in Bangladesh and it became a tool to destroy completely the spirit of liberation war.
Mentioning that the indemnity ordinance seriously harmed the country, the minister further said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina repealed the ordinance on 12 November 1996 proving that the people of Bangladesh would no longer tolerate the ordinance.
Former vice chancellor of Jagannath University Mizanur Rahman chaired the seminar, where former MP Tarana Halim, University Grants Commission member professor Biswajit Chanda, National University vice chancellor Mashiur Rahman, former vice chancellor of Islami University, Kushtia, professor Rashid Askari, Bangabandhu researcher Md. Hafizur Rahman, journalist leader Manik Lal Ghosh and others were present.
Bangladesh Progressive Columnists’ Forum general secretary professor Milton Biswas presented the keynote paper at the seminar.