Law minister stresses stronger global cooperation to fight transnational crimes

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman has stressed the need for stronger international cooperation alongside robust national measures to combat existing and emerging transnational crimes.

He also reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to strengthening the rule of law, expanding access to justice, enhancing institutional accountability and modernising the criminal justice system.

The minister made the remarks while addressing a high-level session of the 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

The congress is being held from 26 September to 1 October at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), with Asaduzzaman leading the Bangladesh delegation.

In his speech, the law minister reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment, under the leadership and guidance of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, to strengthening the rule of law, ensuring greater public access to justice, enhancing institutional accountability and modernising the criminal justice system.

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He highlighted the ongoing judicial reforms in Bangladesh and stressed the country’s efforts to address existing and emerging transnational crimes through strong national action and enhanced international cooperation.

Asaduzzaman said Bangladesh had reaffirmed its commitment to reforming the Code of Criminal Procedure in line with the Abu Dhabi Declaration.

The reforms would seek to strengthen and expand the effective use of summary trial procedures, expedite the disposal of cases, reduce case backlogs and ensure timely and fair access to justice, he said.

The five-yearly international congress is organised by the Vienna-based United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam and officials from the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Foreign Affairs are also members of the Bangladesh delegation.