Bangladesh’s government plans to review and update outdated laws inherited from the British colonial and Pakistan periods to align them with present-day needs, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman has told Parliament.
Responding to a question from Bangladesh Nationalist Party lawmaker Md Fazle Huda in the Jatiya Sangsad on Thursday, the minister said the initiative aims to modernise the country’s legal framework.
He recalled that after independence, the government enacted the Bangladesh Laws (Revision and Declaration) Act, 1973 to establish a coherent legal system. The law provided for a comprehensive review, amendment and repeal of all laws, presidential orders and legislative instruments applicable in Bangladesh since 26 March 1971.
“Through this process, laws that were irrelevant or inapplicable to the context of Bangladesh were repealed, while some were declared not to be part of the country’s legal system,” he said.
Md Asaduzzaman added that laws have been amended over time to keep them up to date, while new legislation has been introduced to address emerging challenges and requirements.
However, he acknowledged that several laws dating back to the British and Pakistan eras have become obsolete or ineffective. “The government will identify such laws and, upon consultation with relevant stakeholders, take steps to amend or newly enact them in phases,” he said.
The minister said the Law Commission is currently working on the issue, and the government will take further action once its recommendations are received.
