Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md. Asaduzzaman informed the Jatiya Sangsad on Thursday that a total of 23,865 politically motivated harassment cases have been withdrawn to date, with the process for remaining cases currently underway.

Responding to a scripted question from opposition lawmaker Muhammad Ali Asgar (Pabna-3), the Minister clarified that the government does not possess precise statistics regarding the total number of harassment cases filed against leaders and activists of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami nationwide.

He explained that because political identity is not recorded in the First Information Report (FIR) at the time of filing, it is difficult to determine such figures with complete accuracy.

However, citing data provided by the BNP’s central office, the Minister noted that between 2007 and January 11, 2025, a total of 142,983 false and harassment cases were reportedly filed against BNP leaders and activists.

He added, “No official data is available regarding such cases filed against Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and activists during the same period.”

Regarding the mechanism for these withdrawals, the Minister stated that after assuming office, the current government established a four-member district-level committee on March 5, 2026.

This committee, headed by the District Magistrate, is tasked with reviewing and recommending the withdrawal of politically motivated cases.

The group evaluates applications by examining FIRs, certified copies of charge sheets, and formal opinions from Public Prosecutors (PPs).

“If a case is found to have been filed for political harassment, is not necessary in the public interest, and its continuation may harm the state, it recommends the case for withdrawal,” the Minister told the House.

To streamline the final decisions, a six-member central committee led by the Law Minister was formed on March 8, 2026, to review district-level recommendations and take final action on the withdrawals.