Dhaka:The Bangladesh Bar Council has emerged as a 'role model' among professional regulatory bodies, praised for its quality-based lawyer enrollment system, adjudication of professional misconduct, and financial support for families of deceased lawyers.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Bar Council, established under the Bangladesh Legal Practitioners and Bar Council Order, 1972, is tasked with enrolling new lawyers through examinations. Law graduates must complete an apprenticeship, pass multiple exam stages, and gain experience for higher court practice. Bar Council Chairman Ruhul Quddus Kazal emphasized the importance of regular enrollment processes and enhancing the legal profession's standards.
The council consists of 15 members, including the Attorney General as chairman. Fourteen members are elected, and an ad hoc council is currently in place until June 2027. The Bar Council operates through ten committees, with an Enrollment Committee led by a Supreme Court judge.
Tribunals address professional misconduct, offering full opportunities for both accused lawyers and complainants to present their cases. The tribunals have powers similar to civil procedure courts, and appeals can be made to the High Court.
The Bar Council also supports deceased lawyers' families through a Benevolent Fund, with benefits based on subscription years. A 15-storey building near the Supreme Court provides rest house facilities for lawyers.