‘Black laws’ to be repealed, false cases being withdrawn: CA Yunus

Black laws, such as the Digital Security Act, are being listed and will soon be repealed or amended, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus said in a televised address to the nation today (11 September). 

“False cases filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act and the Digital/Cyber ​​Security Act are also being withdrawn,” he said, adding that assistance was being provided on a priority basis for the investigation and trials of five widely discussed murders, including that of journalist couple Murder of Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi.

“We have many responsibilities. We have to work together to build a just society. From 1 July to 5 August, the criminal cases that were filed to suppress the mass movement of the students have been withdrawn, except for the murder cases. All those arrested in these cases have been released,” the chief adviser said.

On the promised reforms, Yunus said the interim government had already embarked on making various changes to the judiciary since taking office. 

“Appointing the most qualified person as chief justice has instilled new hope in people’s minds. Appointment of judges of Appellate Division, of the attorney general, alongside other important appointments have been completed,” he said. 

“We recently also signed the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. As a result, I pledged internationally to end the ‘hidden culture’ established by dictatorships. We are also setting up a separate commission to investigate every case of disappearance during the 15 years of fascist rule. To the families who have been waiting agonisingly for years to find their missing fathers, husbands, sons and brothers, we share your pain,” he said.

He also mentioned all secret detention centres, known as Aynaghor, have been closed, with stories now emerging of those disappeared by the “fascist Hasina government”.