Law Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul has said efforts are ongoing to withdraw 2,500 politically motivated and harassment cases filed during the 15-year authoritarian Awami League regime.

“The government has successfully identified over 2,500 cases in 25 districts which were politically motivated. We expect to withdraw these cases by February," he said at a view-exchange meeting with reporters on Tuesday at the Secretariat.

Several lakhs of people were accused in the case, while many had fictitious plaintiffs and large number of unidentified culprits.

The Adviser said they are trying to review and withdraw cases filed under the Cyber Security Act.

"Many cases have already been withdrawn and the remaining cases will be withdrawn in phases," he added.

The politically motivated cases have been identified using four distinct criteria: 1) whether they were filed by police, 2) whether they were filed under controversial acts like the Explosive Act, Weapons Act or for attacks on police, 3) whether the cases have large number of unidentified accused individuals, and 4) whether the cases were filed to coincide with opposition protest events and Awami League’s rigged three general elections.