Dhaka: Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed today announced that nearly 80 percent of the previously announced judicial reform programme has been successfully implemented. 'Almost 80 percent of the judicial reform programme has already been executed. I hope the remaining steps will also be implemented with the cooperation of the government,' he stated.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Chief Justice Ahmed made these remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion titled 'July Uprising: Judicial Reforms', organized by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) at its auditorium. He emphasized the importance of completing the process to ensure full institutional autonomy of the judiciary, enhancing transparency in its functions, maintaining discipline in the conduct of judicial officers, and extending the reform process to every court nationwide.
He further noted that the judiciary is persistently working to restore its full independence and discipline. 'The judiciary must serve the people with fairness, courage and integrity,' he added. Expressing optimism over the establishment of an independent secretariat for the Supreme Court, he highlighted that one of the key proposals before the government is the creation of this separate secretariat, which would further reinforce the constitutional separation of powers and the independence of the judiciary.
The Chief Justice also stressed that the credibility of the judiciary largely depends on the fairness of judicial appointments. He described the activation of the Supreme Judicial Appointment Council as a historic development, introducing a collegium-based system that ensures transparency and participation in judicial recruitment.
The discussion was presided over by SCBA President Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon and included speeches from Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman, Bangladesh Bar Council Vice Chairman and senior lawyer Zainul Abedin, Gono Forum Executive President and senior lawyer Subrata Chowdhury, and BNP Law Affairs Secretary Barrister Kaiser Kamal.