Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury said that as they are beginning a journey toward an independent judiciary through the formation of a secretariat, and he intends to take some steps that will contribute to the overall development of the judiciary, particularly in improving infrastructure at the district level.
He added that he sincerely hopes that work will move forward on the basis of the roadmap formulated by his respected predecessor, Syed Refaat Ahmed, with some necessary changes and refinements.
The chief justice made these remarks on Sunday, 4 January, while responding to a reception hosted on behalf of the Attorney General’s Office and the Supreme Court Bar Association at Courtroom No 1 of the Appellate Division. Judges of both divisions of the Supreme Court, senior lawyers, and Supreme Court officials were present at the reception ceremony.
Expressing his interest in taking necessary measures to ensure the security and welfare of judges, lawyers, and litigants coming to the judicial arena, the chief justice said that he wants to place special emphasis on the Bar and specifically urged the Supreme Court Bar Association to organise regular training programmes for lawyers.
He called upon all lawyers to uphold the dignity and sanctity of this noble profession. The chief justice reminded lawyers about maintaining professional conduct both inside and outside the court premises. He also noted that efforts should be made to turn the country into a better place to live, so that future generations can move forward with peace and prosperity.
President of the Bar Association AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, said that in order to reduce the backlog of cases in courts, the filing of false cases must be stopped. The judiciary must be kept away from politics and freed from syndicates.
To build the Bangladesh of the future, it is essential to reflect the hopes and aspirations that the new generation and the general public have regarding the judiciary.
Addressing the chief justice, Khokon said that they hope he will ensure a completely independent judiciary free from influence, make the utmost effort to protect citizens’ constitutional and fundamental rights, eliminate unnecessary delays in case proceedings, and establish justice.
He urged vigilance in removing discrimination at all levels of society and said that the issues of enforced disappearances, killings, and false cases over the past 16 years should be taken into consideration.
He further said that all syndicates within the judiciary must be dismantled and corruption must be stopped. In the journey toward rebuilding the country through the mass uprising and reforming the judiciary – along the positive path Bangladesh is now walking – the Supreme Court Bar Association will always stand beside the chief justice.
Earlier, acting attorney general Mohammad Arshadur Rouf said that during the rule of the Awami League, injustice rather than justice had prevailed in the judiciary. During that time, the judiciary was politicised and, in many cases, became a tool of political hooliganism.
He said that political hooliganism was established through misuse of the judiciary. Arshadur Rouf said that the court is the final and safest refuge of the people’s hopes and aspirations, which is why the power of judicial review has been vested in the higher judiciary.
