'We want to stop the culture of arrest trade and false cases,' says law minister

The long-standing malpractice of "arrest trade" and re-arresting accused at jail gates after securing bail is gradually being curbed, while the government aims to end enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman said today (10 March).

Speaking at a national seminar organised by Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) at the Bangladesh Military Museum in Dhaka marking International Women's Day 2026, he urged urgent action to remove social and institutional barriers that block women, girls, and gender-diverse people from accessing justice.

The minister claimed the culture of filing false cases is also declining, citing a case in his constituency where only one person was found involved in an alleged attempted rape initially filed against 15 accused after a preliminary investigation. "If each of us resists such practices, the culture of false cases will decrease," he said.

Asaduzzaman highlighted the national Family Card programme, giving card ownership to female household heads. Around 37,000 cards have been issued under a pilot, with plans to gradually cover four crore families, prioritising poor households. He warned against corruption in distribution, urged media and civil society to monitor the process, and expressed support for a Women's Commission and research-based reforms to strengthen women's rights.

Shaheen Anam, MJF executive director, said that despite visible social and economic progress, access to justice remains one of the country's deepest failures in addressing violence against women, with rape conviction rates below one percent and nearly one million related cases pending.

MJF programme coordinator Ruma Sultana noted survivors continue to face humiliation, delays, and denial, citing police reluctance to register cases and weak institutional coordination.

UN Special Rapporteur Irene Khan warned that human rights face growing global threats and stressed that legal reform must be accompanied by stronger social support for women seeking justice.

Barrister Sara Hossain of BLAST said justice entails accountability, rehabilitation, and social transformation, not just punishment. Director General of NGO Affairs Bureau, Md Daud Miah, acknowledged gaps in law implementation, while Swiss Ambassador Reto Renggli credited persistent advocacy by women's rights activists for progress in gender equality.