Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, besides ensuring the independence of the judiciary, we have made the election process and the commission independent. It has been announced to build Smart Bangladesh by 2041. In this, our judiciary will also be smart, expects the Prime Minister.
She said these things while participating in the closing ceremony of the international conference titled "Constitutional Courts of South Asia in the 21st Century: Learning from Bangladesh and India" at Bangabandhu International Conference Center on Saturday (February 24) morning.
She said the government has separated the judiciary from the executive. We have allocated a separate budget for this. She also said that the judiciary was earlier dependent on the government for financial matters.
Besides, she mentioned that the Awami League government has enacted a law to form an independent election commission in Bangladesh. Sheikh Hasina said that the Election Commission was previously attached to the Prime Minister's office.
The Prime Minister said, we have made it (EC) fully independent and allocated separate funds for it. That means we believe in EC independence.
The Prime Minister said her government had included an article in the constitution, as per the High Court ruling, making usurpation of state power a punishable offence. By this inclusion, I may say, the fundamental right of the people, the democratic right, has been secured.
Stating that the socio-economic progress is due to the continuation of the democratic trend in the country, the head of government said that if you calculate from 2009 till now, the socio-economic progress of the country today is due to the continuation of the democratic trend. This is possible because there is a stable environment.
She said, today it is a proven fact that justice and socio-economic development in people's lives can only happen when there is an opportunity to fulfill the basic needs of people. Then the country can move towards development. Today the basic rights of the people are protected.
Sheikh Hasina said, "My younger sister and I were abroad in '75. Then India gave us shelter. Those who survived the shooting, those who lost their relatives, whose lives were very dangerous, but they also took shelter in India. So 'sheltered us after '75 - we remember it with respect'!
She said what the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu wanted! He wanted to create an exploitation-free society. He wanted to free the Bengali nation from hunger and poverty and give a better life. In order to establish the rights of these people, he struggled throughout his life, endured prison-oppression-torture. It was under his leadership that we gained freedom.