Illegal construction
Law minister promises quick case disposal
Staff Reporter, Dhaka
Law minister Anisul Huq yesterday said all cases pending before courts relating to illegal construction of buildings in Dhaka would be disposed of quickly. Well provide assistance to the attorney generals office and prosecutors for quick disposal of such cases. I have already requested the housing and public works ministry to provide all necessary documents in this regard to the attorney generals office, he added.
Huq was talking to reporters after holding a meeting with the Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh, Riva Ganguli, at his Secretariat office. He also said apart from assisting the attorney generals office, the housing and public works ministry would submit information and all necessary documents to the prosecution team so that they can place argument before courts for quick disposal of the cases.
Were taking steps to dispose of such cases as the government cannot demolish all illegal constructions due to legal complexities, the law minister noted.
He also said the government was more sincere about demolishing illegal constructions in the city. The public works ministry and the law ministry will take initiatives for quick disposal of all pending cases relating to illegal constructions to ensure safety for city dwellers, he added.
In response to a query, the minister said that he requested the Chief Justice to pass a directive for the authorities concerned to start the alternative dispute resolution (ADR) system outside the court. If the lawyers and parties concerned are directed to settle some cases outside the courtroom, the number of pending cases would be reduced significantly, he observed.
Asked whether the government would take any action against former chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, the minister said: Wait and see.
On Monday, Huq claimed that former chief justice SK Sinha had attempted to pull off a judicial coup. Two to two-and-a half-years time was wasted in tackling this (thwarting the attempt), he said. The minister was speaking at a coordination meeting with officials of the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division at the Secretariat.
