Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman has warned that the use of artificial intelligence in the judiciary, in the absence of a clear legal framework, could create new kinds of legal and judicial risk. He called on judges to remain maximally alert to threats such as the fabrication of false testimony and evidence using AI, attempts to influence judges, and disinformation campaigns targeting verdicts.
He made the comments as chief guest at the closing ceremony of the “Bangladesh AI Governance Summer School,” held Wednesday at the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh premises.
The law minister said it is possible to mislead courts by using AI to generate false testimony or fabricate evidence through manipulated images and other digital material. Poor and middle-class litigants stand to be hurt the most by this, he said, while influential individuals could also face new kinds of social and legal risk.
He said there is also a risk that AI could be used to pressure judges or run disinformation campaigns against them if a verdict displeases someone. For that reason, he said, judges themselves must be the first to become aware of AI’s potential misuse when verifying evidence and reaching decisions.
Turning to legal reform, the law minister said Bangladesh’s judiciary has, in the past, adapted its interpretation of the law to changing circumstances when needed. He cited the Supreme Court’s ruling placing the burden of proof on the accused in wife-murder cases, and the reduced reliance on seizure-list witnesses alone in arms-act cases in the 1990s, as precedents.
Until formal legislation is enacted to address the challenges posed by AI, he called on the judiciary to similarly demonstrate wisdom, caution and adaptability.
The law minister called on senior legal experts present at the event to take the initiative to draft a bill regulating AI. He said he would help ensure such a draft bill is presented to and implemented by parliament.
The five-day “Bangladesh AI Governance Summer School” was jointly organized by the Society for Justice and AI (SJAI) and Legalized Education Bangladesh Limited (LEBL), with Dhaka University providing overall support as a partner. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Law and Justice Division, and the Attorney General’s Office also assisted with the event.
Special guests and panelists at the event included Dhaka University Faculty of Law Dean Prof Dr Muhammad Ekramul Haque, law department professor Dr Borhan Uddin Khan, and Deputy Attorney General Tasnuva Shelly. The closing session was attended by the chief justice, Supreme Court judges, lawyers, academics, technologists and senior government officials.
The summer school covered various aspects of AI governance in key sectors including the judiciary, human rights, financial services, health and public administration. The program was organized as the first phase of a longer-term initiative to build AI governance capacity in Bangladesh. Certificates were distributed to participants at the end of the event.