Staff Reporter:
Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq said the government will not do anything on the quota issue bypassing the apex court.
“When a matter reaches the court, the government waits for the court’s decision. So, the government will wait till the court’s judgment. The government will respect the apex court of the country. The gov-ernment will take into consideration whatever judgment the apex court gives, it will try to follow that,” he said.
The minister said these while addressing as the chief guest a seminar on the ‘indemnity act and the im-prisonment day of Awami League (AL) President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, at the National Press Club here.
Organized by Bangladesh Progotishil (progressive) Columnist Forum, and presided over by Prof Dr Mi-zanur Rahman, the seminar was addressed by lawmaker Tarana Halim, National University vice-chancellor Prof Dr. Moshiur Rahman, University Grants Commission Member Dr Bishwajit Chanda and former vice-chancellor of Islamic University Prof Dr. Rashid Askari, among others.
Reiterating his call for the students protesting for quota reform to go to court, the law minister said they could raise their arguments there through their lawyer, adding, “The apex court has given such assurance that the court will take into consideration their arguments while disposing of the matter. Despite this, is there any necessity for this movement? Is there any need for chanting those slogans?”
Anisul Huq further said Sheikh Hasina will surely accept the logical points, she will do whatever is good for the people. But her government will not deviate from the ideology, and that ideology is that Banga-bandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is the Father of the Nation in Bangladesh, none will be able to destroy the spirit of Liberation of War and valiant Freedom Fighters’, he added.
“None will be allowed to dishonor the valiant Freedom Fighters’. We have to move forward with this spirit. We have to engage ourselves in the struggle to make Bangladesh a developed nation by 2041,” Anisul said.
The law minister, also a senior jurist of the country, said the indemnity act had given birth to the culture of impunity in the country.
“It became the tool to destroy the spirit of the War of Liberation completely. That ordinance has done a lot of damage to Bangladesh, and by repealing the ordinance on November 12, 1996, Sheikh Hasina proved the fact that the people of Bangladesh will not tolerate such an act,” he added.