Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minster Anisul Huq yesterday said the government is working sincerely to curb human trafficking and a total 2,035 cases have been filed under the Human Trafficking Deterrence and Suppression Act till June 22, 2015, reports BSS.
"Seven special tribunals will be set up at seven divisional headquarters of the country to try and punish the culprits involved in human trafficking, he said while responding to a scripted question of treasury member Md. Mamunur Rashid Kiron from Noakhali-3 in parliament. Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury was in the chair.
The minister said concerned district and session judges would conduct the tribunals to stop human trafficking, which has now become a burning issue. He said a proposal for forming those tribunals have already been sent to the Public Administration Ministry and until the tribunals are formed, the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunals were assigned to deal with those cases.
"There are 2,035 cases filed on charges of human trafficking with different courts. Of those, 419 cases in the meantime have been cleared while the rest 1,616 cases are under trial," the minister added. Replying to another query of treasury bench member Md Ayen Uddin from Rajshahi-3, the law minister said the present government has taken various steps for quick disposal of civil and criminal cases. He said after the amendment of the civil procedures, the authority concerned is contemplating this amendment to remove the pending cases while 64 'Legal Aid Officers' of National Legal Aid Services are providing lawful assistance in each district.
"Besides, Case Management Committee was formed in each district headquarters for quick disposal of the cases. Various monitoring teams led by solicitor are working to ensure quick proposal of old criminal cases," he added.
The minister, in reply of a question of lawmaker Abul Kalam from Natore-1, said the vested quarters, involved in killing innocent people through arson and petrol bombs in the name of hartal and blockade, will be brought to book.