Cabinet Gives Final Approval to Draft Mutual Legal Assistance Agreement with Hong Kong
The cabinet has given final approval to the draft of a 'Mutual Legal Assistance Agreement in Criminal Matters' between Bangladesh and Hong Kong, aimed at mutual legal assistance to prevent criminals and criminal activity.
The proposal received final approval at a cabinet meeting held on Monday (2 November) chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani confirmed the information at a briefing at the Secretariat after the meeting.
With this agreement with Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China, the two sides will be able to strengthen the process of bringing criminals back to their respective countries and of providing legal assistance, it was stated at the briefing.
The proposal was placed before the cabinet with the aim of giving the law a permanent legal form through the national parliament. It received final approval subject to the necessary vetting by the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division.
Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani said that if a Bangladeshi citizen commits a crime in Hong Kong and hides or stays there, it will now be easier to seek legal assistance to bring that person back.
He said bringing back people involved in various crimes, including money laundering, requires the direct cooperation of the government of the country concerned. Under this agreement, cooperation can be obtained easily and directly at government level, without first going through the stage of appointing lawyers as before.
In the same way, if a criminal from Hong Kong is staying in Bangladesh, they too will be able to take that person back through the same process, the cabinet secretary said.
However, the cabinet secretary noted that the provisions of this agreement may not be effective in the case of people accused for political purposes or in the context of political offences.
