Govt not keen to relocate ICT

Says Law minister

The government is in favour of retaining the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in its present location in the old High Court building, law minister Anisul Huq said yesterday.
“I'll write to the Supreme Court (SC) requesting it to review its directive to relocate the ICT from the old HC building. The law ministry will reply to every SC letter requesting it to reconsider the directives of relocating the ICT,” the minister told reporters outside the Judicial Administrators Training Centre in Dhaka. On August 18, 2016, the apex court had written to the law ministry to relocate the ICT from the old HC building and to hand over its possession by October 3 last year. But on October 30, the law ministry wrote to the SC’s registrar general, requesting the apex court to review its directive.

Following this, the SC sent another letter to the ministry on December 4, 2016, asking it to relocate the ICT by December 31. But two days prior to the deadline on December 29, the law ministry again wrote to the SC to reconsider its directive.
On the exchange of letters, the minister said, “I can’t say anything about the latest situation of giving and receiving letters over the relocation of the ICT. But I’ll reply to every letter of the apex court and request it to reconsider its directives over the relocation of the ICT.” Huq further said inclusion and removal of prosecutors from the ICT team was a continuous process. The government would do everything to improve the functioning of the ICT, if needed, he added.
Huq also said the government would request the President to appoint HC and Appellate Division judges, if needed, as it was a continuous process. He further said that the government would formulate a law this year for appointing HC judges so that such appointments could be made without any question.
The minister also said the government would formulate a law for constituting the Election Commission if the President gave an order in this regard. “The ministry has a legislative division to draft any law, and it’ll draft the law quickly for constituting the EC after getting the President’s directive,” he added.

 

Govt not keen to relocate ICT

Says Law minister

The government is in favour of retaining the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in its present location in the old High Court building, law minister Anisul Huq said yesterday. Ill write to the Supreme Court (SC) requesting it to review its directive to relocate the ICT from the old HC building. The law ministry will reply to every SC letter requesting it to reconsider the directives of relocating the ICT, the minister told reporters outside the Judicial Administrators Training Centrein Dhaka. On August 18, 2016, the apex court had written to the law ministry to relocate the ICT from the old HC building and to hand over its possession by October 3 last year. But on October 30, the law ministry wrote to the SCs registrar general, requesting the apex court to review its directive. Following this, the SC sent another letter to the ministry on December 4, 2016, asking it to relocate the ICT by December 31. But two days prior to the deadline on December 29, the law ministry again wrote to the SC to reconsider its directive. On the exchange of letters, the minister said, I cant say anything about the latest situation of giving and receiving letters over the relocation of the ICT. But Ill reply to every letter of the apex court and request it to reconsider its directives over the relocation of the ICT. Huq further said inclusion and removal of prosecutors from the ICT team was a continuous process. The government would do everything to improve the functioning of the ICT, if needed, he added. Huq also said the government would request the President to appoint HC and Appellate Division judges, if needed, as it was a continuous process. He further said that the government would formulate a law this year for appointing HC judges so that such appointments could be made without any question. The minister also said the government would formulate a law for constituting the Election Commission if the President gave an order in this regard. The ministry has a legislative division to draft any law, and itll draft the law quickly for constituting the EC after getting the Presidents directive, he added.