Attorney General urges law officers to uphold justice, ethics
He said prosecutors should maintain high standards of integrity in both their personal and professional lives and remain updated on changes in laws and legal systems.
Attorney General Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kazal today (18 September) urged law officers to discharge their responsibilities with integrity and a firm commitment to upholding justice.
He made the call while addressing a two-day training workshop titled "Strengthening the Policy and Practice of Prosecutorial Ethics for the Attorney General's Office of Bangladesh" in the capital.
The training, held for the first time for law officers of the Attorney General's Office, was organised by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Office for South Asia with the cooperation of UNDP Bangladesh.
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Addressing the programme, the Attorney General said the responsibilities of state law officers go beyond conducting cases or securing convictions.
"One of their principal responsibilities is to provide the highest possible cooperation to the courts to ensure justice," he said.
He said the Attorney General's Office is committed to maintaining zero tolerance at all levels toward corruption, bribery, negligence of duty, concealment of documents and any form of unethical influence in the judicial process.
"Those involved in such unethical activities will have no place in the Attorney General's Office," he added.
UNDP Bangladesh Resident Representative Stephen Rodriques, sharing his experience of working in the justice sector in different countries, said justice is not merely about law, courts, procedures or punishment; rather, it is directly linked to people's lives and dignity.
"Integrity is not a part-time matter. It must be reflected every day and in every decision," he said.
UNODC Regional Representative for South Asia Christian Holge said prosecutors play an extremely important role in the criminal justice system and must perform their duties with both firmness and impartiality.
He said prosecutors should maintain high standards of integrity in both their personal and professional lives and remain updated on changes in laws and legal systems.
Senior Rule of Law, Justice and Security Advisor of UNDP Bangladesh Romana Showghar, UNODC Bangladesh Country Office Head Shah Mohammad Nahiyan and Additional Attorney General Barrister Anik Ar Hossain, along with domestic and international criminal justice experts, attended the programme.
A total of 160 law officers, including Deputy and Assistant Attorneys General, from the Attorney General's Office are participating in the two-day workshop.
