Cabinet approves making Speedy Trial Act permanent

The cabinet on Monday gave final approval to the draft of The Law and Order Disruption (Speedy Trial) Act (Amendment), 2024. With this, the law will be made permanent instead of the previous system of extending its tenure by two years.

The cabinet meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office (PMO), said Cabinet Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain to the media.

Mahbub Hossain stated that when the law was promulgated in 2002, its tenure was two years. Later, the term was extended several times. The tenure was once again scheduled to be extended on 9 April but the cabinet has decided in principle to give a permanent form to the act.

Asked about the background of making the act permanent, the cabinet secretary said the public security division of the home ministry proposed this as the law was found effective in curbing crimes.

In response to another question, Mahbub Hossian said the previous form of the act would be retained.