Prime Minister Tarique Rahman declared on Monday that an accountable and democratic government has finally been established in Bangladesh through the people’s direct votes, following one and a half decades of fascist rule and exploitation.

Speaking at the Bogura District and Sessions Judge Court premises, where he inaugurated the newly constructed Bogura District Bar Association building and launched the e-bail bond system for seven districts, the Prime Minister emphasized that “the people have regained their lost democratic political rights.”

Accompanied by his wife, Dr. Zubaida Rahman, and Law Minister Md. Asaduzzaman, the Prime Minister, who also serves as the Chairman of the ruling BNP, asserted that it is now a national priority to ensure no autocrat or subservient group can ever again snatch away the rights of the citizens.

To this end, he stated, “the present government has taken appropriate steps to strengthen every constitutional institution of the country.”

He further argued that the benefits of democratic rights cannot be realized without coordination between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, noting that establishing justice is a fundamental aspect of morality and law.

In his address, Tarique Rahman credited the proclaimer of independence, Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, for originally opening the door to judicial independence after it had been curtailed by the fourth amendment of the constitution.

He lamented that “during the fascist regime, the judiciary was turned into a partisan court,” claiming that while the country was ruled in the name of law, there was no true justice.

He noted that since the people were freed from the “rule of darkness” in August 2024, the government has remained committed to making the judiciary a place of “justice and trust.”

He highlighted that when citizens view the court as a safe place rather than a site of harassment, “mob violence will also be eliminated from society.”

Regarding the technological shift, the Prime Minister explained that the e-bail bond system is designed to reduce harassment by establishing a corruption-free, transparent, and modern judicial process.

By moving the bail process online, the government aims to eliminate the previous 13-step manual ordeal involving clerks, magistrates, and police.

“I believe that the e-bail bond system in the bail process is a significant step in the journey towards establishing justice for litigants,” he remarked.

Starting on Monday, the system is operational in Bogura, Jhenaidah, Jashore, Magura, Rajshahi, Natore, and Kushtia.

Under this new system, judges verify bail orders and send them directly to prison administration, allowing for immediate release and preventing bail document forgery or interference by middlemen.

The Prime Minister revealed plans to link this system with police CDMS, court case management, and national ID verification.

He also pledged that production warrants and release orders would soon be processed online, ending the “bad culture of keeping ordinary people imprisoned through police harassment and fake warrants.”

Ultimately, Tarique Rahman called for a transformation of mindset alongside technology, stating, “We want to build such a Bangladesh where there will be no difference between the Prime Minister or ministers, police or officials and an ordinary citizen in the judicial system.”

He reiterated that “access to justice for all is not a matter of charity or mercy, it is a constitutional right.”

In a concluding directive, he instructed the Law Minister to address the plight of the 30 percent of prisoners currently awaiting trial due to unnecessary delays or financial inability to hire legal representation.