No legal scope to condone delay in Hasina's appeal: Law Minister

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman said on Saturday that there is no legal scope for condoning delay in filing an appeal in the crimes against humanity case against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, as the special law governing the trial does not provide any such provision.

"They (Awami League government) themselves enacted that law. We also have a constitution. In 1973, her (Sheikh Hasina's) father (Sheikh Mujibur Rahman) introduced a constitutional amendment. Article 47(3) of the constitution states that no person accused or convicted of crimes against humanity can claim fundamental rights. This provision was introduced by them," he said while replying to a question on the scope of filing an appeal by the ousted prime minister.

The law minister also said the Bangladesh government had taken all possible legal steps to bring back Sheikh Hasina from India, adding that the next course of action rested with the Indian government.

He made the remarks after attending the annual general meeting of the Bangladesh Registration Service Association (BRSA) at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the morning.

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Presided over by BRSA Secretary General Michael Mohiuddin Abdullah, the function was addressed by Inspector General of the Directorate of Registration, Shamima Afroz, and was attended by Law and Justice Division Secretary Liaquet Ali Molla, Additional Secretaries SM Arshadul Alam and Md Khadem Ul Kayes, among others.

"The Registration Directorate is the second-largest revenue-earning sector in Bangladesh. I believe there will be no limitations on my part in taking whatever measures are necessary to improve the sector. However, you have a negative public image. It is your responsibility to take all necessary steps to overcome this perception," the law minister said at the function.

He said the government wanted the public to have confidence in sub-registrars and ensure an end to public harassment, adding, "But if I receive complaints of harassment, I will not hesitate to take a zero-tolerance stance, because your department's reputation is also linked to my own." 

Referring to the recent government initiative to introduce a lottery system for the transfer of sub-registrars to curb corruption, the law minister said the process could be gradually expanded to help restore public confidence in the department.