Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman today urged political parties to make a firm public commitment to enact a strong and effective anti-discrimination act, saying such a commitment should be a prerequisite to gaining public confidence and votes.

Speaking as chief guest at a dialogue on the necessity of the law held at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Centre in Dhaka, he cautioned that a weak or ambiguous legal framework would fail to ensure genuine justice and redress.

"Political parties will not get our votes unless they commit to formulating this act," he said, adding that a strong act is needed, as a vague one cannot provide remedy.

"We must compel the law commission and the law ministry to act accordingly," he added.

The dialogue, titled "Towards a Comprehensive Anti-Discrimination Act", was organised by the Citizen's Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh, in collaboration with the Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) and Citizen's Initiative (Nagorik Uddyog), with support from the UNDP and the Swiss embassy.

The discussion brought together a diverse group of political leaders, legal experts and rights advocates.

Echoing the attorney general's call, Debapriya Bhattacharya, convener of the Citizen's Platform, warned that delaying an effective law would weaken the very foundations of democracy.

He stressed that an anti-discrimination law is a pressing necessity in three critical areas: ensuring fair justice by protecting citizens' right to seek redress, fostering free and inclusive elections, and enabling meaningful reforms grounded in universal human rights.

Debapriya also cautioned against "selective advocacy", urging that the movement must address all forms of discrimination to restore universality in rights protection.