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Moudud admits failure to form HR commission, separate judiciary

STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Moudud Ahmed yesterday admitted that the government is yet to succeed in forming a human rights commission and separating the judiciary.
He however said he is 'very hopeful' that these two major steps needed to put democracy on a firm footing and ensure law and order will be taken in the next one year.
Addressing a press briefing at his ministry on the occasion of completion
of four years of the BNP-led coalition government, Moudud said the issue of separation of the judiciary is now lying with the Supreme Court.
The formation of Judicial Service Commission is a big step towards separation of the judiciary, he said. Twenty-five assistant judges have already been appointed through this commission and 140 others are in the process of appointment.
The minister said an interim arrangement to replace the civil judiciary by the judicial magistracy is needed in the process of separating the judiciary. "We are checking how these have been done in India, Pakistan and other countries."
There are 600 magistrates with several years of experience, and it is not possible to replace them immediately with newly appointed judges, he pointed out.
Asked about failure of a committee formed in 2003 to give a report as yet on the formation of a human rights commission, he said the issue is under consideration.
On extra-judicial killings by the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), the minister said there are laws to deal with custodial deaths. If such deaths occur, there are specific provisions in the Criminal Procedure Code to bring those responsible to book.
Asked about criminals being killed in the name of 'cross fire' and fabricated stories about the killings, Moudud said, "I do not agree to this statement. This is baseless."
On indemnity for such killings , he said, "I will not answer to any hypothetical question."
Asked about the prime minister's pledge on Monday to strengthen the antiterrorism act, he said, "The government will never formulate any law that violates human rights."
"The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is now strong enough to catch the corrupt people of any quarters. You cannot show any flaws in the ACC laws that allow any groups to influence or intervene it."
In the past, the Bureau of AntiCorruption at times needed government approval to file or withdraw cases but those provisions have been scrapped, the minister said. "They (ACC) now do not need seeking police help for investigation, so, what more do you want. If even after that the commission fails to act independently, then go and ask it directly."
About the formulation of Right to Information Act, the minister said, "We have already asked for the law commission's opinion about it. But according to the rules of business, it is ultimately the duty of the information ministry."
Some provisions of the Official Secrecy Act could be excluded while formulating the Right to Information Act, he added.
He also spoke for appointment of sector-wise ombudsman. "We do not want to appoint one ombudsman for the 14 crore people, but sector-wise Ombudsman for important sectors, such as tax-ombudsman, will be more effective."
On the opposition allegations that some ministers are linked to communal militancy and bombings, he said no political party can do such things.
"The quarters that do not believe in the creation of Bangladesh, democracy, economic development and independence of the country are plotting such activities. They might be within or outside the country."
On the government claim of success in all its activities and the opposition views that those were total failures, Moudud said, " None of the two is fully true. It has become a kind of political culture in the country."
This government formulated 137 laws in the last four years and 54 of those are very important, the minister said.
State Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Shahjahan Omar was also present at the press briefing.