Judiciary wasn't always free: Law minister

Law Minister Anisul Huq yesterday said the judiciary was not always independent as the provisions on independence of the judiciary in the constitution were amended several times in the past and used for personal and political gains.

“If the judiciary had always been independent, the trial of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman murder case would not start 21 years after the incident,” he said.   

He made the remark while speaking as the chief guest at the inaugural programme of an orientation course, organised for chief judicial magistrates and chief metropolitan magistrates, at Judicial Administration Training Institute (Jati) in Dhaka.

The judiciary was independent during the 2007 caretaker government, the law minister observed.

He also said if the government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina did not formulate relevant laws, the judges would be under the government's executive branch.

Jati Director General Justice Khondker Musa Khaled and Law Secretary ASSM Zahirul Haque Dulal, among others, spoke at the programme.