State Minister Humaiun Kobir's appointment is constitutional: Law minister

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir has been appointed in line with constitutional provisions, and no law was breached in the appointment process, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman said on Tuesday.

The law minister did not specifically clarify whether Humaiun Kobir, known as a British Bangladeshi by birth, had renounced his foreign citizenship before joining the government. Earlier, PM's Adviser Zahed-ur-Rahman, and Humaiun himself also did not clarify the state minister's dual citizenship status when asked by reporters on separate ocassions.

“Whatever the government did concerning Humaiun's appointment was done in accordance with the constitution. There was no deviation in the process. When he was administered the oath, we did it constitutionally,” Asaduzzaman said while responding to questions from journalists at the secretariat.

The law minister was addressing reporters after the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between departments from three ministries at the seminar room of the Ministry of Social Welfare at the Secretariat.

The MoU is aimed at strengthening inter-ministerial cooperation on ensuring legal aid services to marginalised and at-risk groups like women, children and vulnerable communities. It will also ensure inter-ministerial cooperation towards ensuring social protection and rehabilitation for the marginalised groups.

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After the MoU singing, the law minister said the state will stand by victims who are unable to appoint lawyers to represent themselves. 

He added that the government is working to ensure legal protection for marginalised and disadvantaged groups.

Asaduzzaman said it was the state’s responsibility to ensure people’s right to justice. 

He added that the government is expanding its legal aid programmes to ensure that economically disadvantaged and helpless people are not deprived of access to justice. 

Speaking about the country’s law and order and human rights situation, Asaduzzaman said the government is working to ensure the rule of law and human rights by ending the culture of politically motivated false cases, enforced disappearances and crossfire.

He also claimed that no false cases have been filed by police since the formation of the government.