Lawyers should not be judged by money alone: Law Minister

Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman has said that not everything about lawyers should be judged by monetary standards. He said lawyers must also play a role in standing by people and ensuring justice.

He made the remarks as the chief guest at a reception programme for law graduates of the University of Asia Pacific (UAP) who passed the Bangladesh Bar Council enrolment examination, held on Friday, August 28.

Addressing the young lawyers, the law minister said, "There are opportunities to learn every day in the legal profession. The more one studies, the more knowledge and skills can be acquired. Lawyers must regularly study, especially to develop professional skills including good drafting."

He said lawyers should not run after money alone but should focus on acquiring professional skills. Instead of resorting to corruption or any shortcut to become rich quickly, one must build oneself as an ideal lawyer through merit, honesty, ethics and hard work.

The law minister said although there is a large number of lawyers in the country, there is no adequate system for their professional training.

He further said the government is moving towards arranging training to enhance the skills of lawyers. Necessary initiatives will be taken to make the legal profession more dignified and skill-based.

He highlighted that the enrolment examination system has been made transparent and rigorous to ensure entry into the profession based on merit and competence.

"There is no scope for nepotism in the enrolment examination. There are instances where even children of enrolment committee members have failed. Therefore, young lawyers must move forward in their professional lives with confidence in their own merit and ability," he said.

The law minister emphasised the importance of professional relationships with clients, saying, "The client is a client. Professional relationships with clients must be maintained and the dignity of the profession must be upheld."

He said ensuring access to justice for the helpless and poor is also the social and professional responsibility of lawyers.

At the time, he called upon lawyers to try to handle some cases of the helpless for free, alongside cases conducted in exchange for fees.

The event was attended by UAP Board of Trustees Chairman KM Majibul Haque, Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Mohiuddin Ahmed Bhuiyan, and Acting Dean of the School of Law Professor Dr MA Baqui Khalili as special guests.

The programme was presided over by Dr Noor-e-Medina Suraiye Jasmine, Assistant Professor and Head of the Department of Law and Human Rights at UAP.

At the end of the event, UAP law graduates who passed the Bangladesh Bar Council enrolment examination were honoured.