Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury has formed a special bench in the High Court to hear death references, appeals, and related applications in cases of women and child abuse, aiming to expedite the judicial process.
According to an administrative order issued on Wednesday, the bench comprising Justice Bhishmadev Chakraborty and Justice KM Rasheduzzaman Raja will conduct hearings for cases under the Women and Child Abuse Suppression Act.
The bench will hear death references arising from the Act, criminal appeals and jail appeals against such judgments, applications for admission of appeals, criminal miscellaneous cases, criminal revisions, and related rules and petitions.
The special bench will begin judicial proceedings at 10:30am on 14 June.
The decision comes amid renewed discussions over judicial delays in serious offences against women and children.
A report published in TIMES of Bangladesh on 1 June, titled “Swift verdicts snag in HC logjam“, highlighted that while lower courts deliver speedy verdicts in many high-profile cases, implementation often gets stuck due to prolonged delays in the higher court.
The report particularly focused on the lengthy time taken to dispose of death references and appeals in child rape and murder cases, with legal experts emphasising the need for separate or special benches for such cases.
On 7 June, Attorney General Md Ruhul Quddus Kajol told journalists that the Chief Justice had decided to form the special bench. He also said state law officers would not seek adjournments under any circumstances in these cases.
“The judicial process must not be unnecessarily delayed,” he said, explaining the stance taken by the state.
