Humaiun Kobir appointed state minister constitutionally: Law minister

Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman said on Tuesday that the appointment of Humaiun Kobir as state minister for foreign affairs was made in accordance with the constitution.
“First of all, what is provided for in the law is in the law. Secondly, what this government has done was done in line with the constitution; there has been no violation here. Whatever we have done, we have done constitutionally,” Asaduzzaman said in response to journalists’ questions following an event at the conference room of the Ministry of Social Welfare.
Humaiun Kobir took oath as state minister last Friday. Following the formation of the BNP-led government on 17 February this year, he had served as the prime minister’s foreign affairs adviser with the rank of a state minister.
Speaking about the country’s law and order and human rights situation, Asaduzzaman said the government was working to ensure the rule of law and protect human rights by ending the culture of politically motivated false cases, enforced disappearances and crossfire.
“No false cases have been filed since the formation of the government,” he claimed. 
The law minister said the state would stand by victims who were unable to appoint lawyers to represent themselves. The government was working to ensure legal protection for marginalised and disadvantaged groups, he said, adding that it was the state’s responsibility to ensure people’s right to justice.
He also said the government was expanding its legal aid programmes so that economically disadvantaged and helpless people were not deprived of access to justice.
At the event, a tripartite memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed among three government agencies to ensure integrated delivery of legal aid, safe shelter, healthcare, psychosocial counselling and rehabilitation services for vulnerable groups, including underprivileged women, children, elderly people and persons with disabilities.
The agreement was signed by the Department of Social Services under the Ministry of Social Welfare, the Department of Women Affairs under the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, and the National Legal Aid Services Organisation (NLASO) under the Law Ministry.
Women and Children Affairs Minister Dr AZM Zahid Hossain and State Minister for Social Welfare Farjana Sharmin Putul also attended the ceremony.
Once implemented, the MoU will strengthen institutional coordination among the three departments and establish a unified mechanism through which victims of violence, women, children, elderly people and persons with disabilities can access legal, medical, shelter, counselling and rehabilitation services.
Key initiatives under the agreement include an integrated referral and case management system for regular follow-up of service recipients, and the interconnection of emergency helplines 16699, 1098 and 109 to accelerate emergency responses.
Joint central and district-level committees will oversee implementation at the field level, supported by capacity-building programmes, public awareness campaigns, data sharing and research.