Attorney General Commits to Upholding Integrity and Rule of Law in Prosecutorial Practice

Attorney General of Bangladesh Mohammad Ruhul Quddus Kazal today highlighted the centrality of integrity, independence and respect for the rule of law to remain at the centre of Attorney General's practice, stressing that the responsibility of government law officers goes beyond winning cases and extends to protecting constitutional safeguards, fairness and the public interest.

He was speaking as Chief Guest at the opening of the training in Dhaka on Strengthening the Principles and Practices of Prosecutorial Ethics for the Attorney General's Office of Bangladesh, organised by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Office for South Asia.

The two day programme aims to strengthen ethical and professional decision making among government law officers and attorneys, apply international standards on the role of prosecutors with a focus on independence, impartiality, evidence handling, arrest, remand and bail, victims and witnesses, professional integrity and coordination across justice institutions.

The Attorney General emphasised that prosecutorial ethics must be reflected in daily practice. He highlighted the need to ensure lawful arrest and detention, maintain evidentiary integrity, disclose material favourable to accused persons, protect victims and witnesses, preserve independent legal judgment and resist conflicts of interest or improper external pressure.

He also called for a professional culture within the Attorney General's Office where integrity is non negotiable, misconduct is addressed and the rule of law is upheld for every citizen.

Kristian Hölge, Regional Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for South Asia, underscored the particular responsibility prosecutors carry in the justice system.

"Your core duty is not to win. Your core duty is to do justice. You must search for the truth, not just the conviction," Hölge said.

Stephen Rodriques, Resident Representative of UNDP Bangladesh, highlighted the importance of ethical decision making in strengthening public confidence in justice institutions.

"Public confidence and trust in justice institutions can be rebuilt one decision at a time," Rodriques said.

He stressed that justice is ultimately about whether people are treated with dignity and respect and whether decisions are based on facts and law rather than wealth, status or influence.

The opening session also included Mr. Aneek R. Haque, Additional Attorney General; Ms. Romana Schweiger, Senior Rule of Law, Justice and Security Advisor at UNDP; and Mr. Shah Mohammad Naheeaan, Head of Office of UNODC in Bangladesh.

Through practical discussions and regional perspectives, the training seeks to translate ethical principles into everyday professional practice, contributing to fairer proceedings, stronger institutional integrity, better protection of rights and greater public confidence in Bangladesh's justice system.