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remand, public shaming of suspects, and the absence of compensation for unlawful detention.

He highlighted poor governance as the main problem in Bangladesh’s criminal justice system, and warned that disorganised solutions would not work.

When one gap is addressed, another emerges elsewhere, he said, adding that practices once carried out through preventive detention are now often carried out through criminal cases.

He said there is a misconception that a single judgement or legal amendment can solve wider problems in the criminal justice system. In reality, when discretion is curbed in one place, abuse often reappears in another form.

He added that a “bail economy” had developed in the country and called for reforming the entire bail system.

Addressing the event, Prof Md Nazmuzzaman Bhuian, dean of the law department at Independent University, Bangladesh, said reforms frequently remain confined to paper as implementation receives far less attention than lawmaking.

He stressed that no law can be effective unless underlying problems are addressed.

He also said neither the judiciary, police, nor the government should be seen as adversaries, adding that a society based on accountability and human rights can only be built through cooperation.

Professor and Advocate Limon Hossain and Imtiaz Hossain Rocky also shared their experiences as victims and claimed justice.

Victims of warrantless arrest and detention who shared their experiences said ensuring their safety was essential for filing cases in such incidents, adding that court orders must be implemented effectively through clear state action.

Speakers noted that although several important changes had been introduced through recent amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure, implementation remained weak and independent judicial assessment was often missing in practice.

They stressed a framework based on justice, accountability, and good governance and the need to learn from legal experiences in other parts of the world, build trust in freedom of expression, and introduce effective screening systems in the arrest process.

Participants proposed greater use of technology in law enforcement, especially body cameras, implementation of the Police Reform Commission’s recommendations, preservation of reliable data on victims, and effective enforcement of court orders.

Supreme Court lawyer Dr Kazi Zahed Iqbal moderated the discussion, while BLAST legal department director Md Barkat Ali presented the keynote.