Let the law run its course

Withdrawal of criminal cases against ruling party members on political grounds, through lobbying with the home ministry, goes completely against the essence of law and can easily lead to corruption and the abuse of power. Since 2009, the government has reportedly withdrawn numerous cases against its party leaders and activists that were filed previously. 

Ruling party leaders, ministers and lawmakers have been lobbying to have cases against them withdrawn, thus, putting the home ministry in difficulty. Although party members are trying to get cases against them revoked on the ground that they were filed because of political motivations, home ministry sources have said otherwise; that the majority of appeals received by the ministry have no valid grounds for withdrawal. Then why are criminal cases being withdrawn on political grounds? 

Meanwhile, officials also said that some of the cases should be disposed of in court. One such case is against the Dhaka City Jubo Mahila League Organising Secretary and Barisal Jubo Mahila League leader for torturing and killing an eighteen-year-old girl who worked at the houses of the accused. This tendency on part of successive governments to have criminal cases against their own party members withdrawn immediately after taking office is detrimental to the rule of law and must be abolished.

And although it is possible that some of the cases against ruling party members were filed on political grounds, surely all of them were not. In the interest of upholding the law, the home ministry and the government should let the law run its course and not intervene in cases on political grounds to protect party members.