‘Steps on Sec 54 amendment after release of full verdict’

After receiving the full text of the Supreme Court verdict, the government will take steps for amending the Section 54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) of 1898 under which police arrest a person on suspicion.
Law Minister Anisul Huq said this while talking to reporters after attending a programme at Judicial Administration Training Institute in Dhaka.

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The minister came up with the remark five days after the SC upheld a High Court verdict that apparently restricted law enforcers to arrest people on suspicion under the Section 54.
While talking to the journalists today, the law minister said the government has taken steps to formulate a law for appointing judges to the HC, which will come into effect within next year.
At present, the HC judges are appointed based on constitution.
The SC in its May 24 verdict outlined some recommendations for making changes to the provisions.
It also made proposals for bringing amendments to three other laws for safeguarding people's liberty and fundamental rights guaranteed by the constitution. They are Penal Code 1860, Police Act 1861 and Evidence Act 1872.
The HC verdict said the amendments are required to limit the arbitrary use of powers by the police and magistrates in relation to arrest and remand and to take necessary steps in case of custodial death.
The HC issued a 15-point directive and asked the government to comply with it immediately to stop police from making arbitrary arrests on suspicion and torturing arrestees on remand.