Dhaka: Women’s participation is increasing in the judiciary and legal profession in Bangladesh with their strong presence in the Supreme Court, High Court, lower courts, and in the teaching profession of law.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, some 625 judges out of a total of 2,179 in the country’s lower courts are women. Retired Justice of the Appellate Division Krishna Debnath highlighted this progress, stating that when women first entered the judiciary, there were only three female judges, but now around one-third of the judges in the lower courts are women. She emphasized the significant challenge women face in balancing their roles as judges and mothers, and praised their success in judicial service examinations. Notably, Halimatus Sadia, a student of Barisal University, stood first in the competitive service examination in the 2017-18 session.
Presently, there are 10 female judges in the High Court and 625 female judges in the country’s lower courts. The female judges of the High Court include Justice Farah Mahbub, Justice Fatema Najib, Justice Kazi Zeenat Haque, Justice Fahmida Quader, Justice Mubina Asaf, Justice Nasrin Akhter, Justice Ainun Nahar Siddiqua, Justice Tamanna Rahman, and Justice Sathika Hossain.
Retired Justice Zinat Ara of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court serves as the chairman of the Law Commission. Women are also playing important roles in various reform commissions formed by the Interim Government. Notable personalities include Professor Dr. Sumaiya Khair of Dhaka University’s law faculty, who is a member of the Constitutional Reform Commission and the Supreme Judicial Appointments Council, and Professor Dr. Shahnaz Huda, also of DU law faculty, who is a member of the Police Reform Commission.
The Bangladesh Women Judges Association recently formed a new committee with Senior District Judge Syeda Hosne Ara Begum as president. Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge of Dhaka, Farzana Yasmin, was elected as the secretary general. A 35-member committee was established at the 34th annual conference of the association, with retired Justice Nazmun Ara Sultana serving as the chief guest.
Women are also contributing significantly as Deputy Attorney Generals and Assistant Attorney Generals in the High Court, handling cases for the state. The Deputy Attorney Generals include Sultana Akhter Ruby, Shamima Sultana Dipti, Mohsina Khatun, Mahbuba Akhter Jui, Salma Sultana, Nahid Hossen, Syeda Sazia Sharmin, Jamila Momtaz, Ainun Nahar, Shiuli Khanom, and Rashida Alim Aishwi.
Supreme Court Advocate Barrister Nishat Mahmud noted that the number of women judges and law practitioners is gradually increasing, marking promising progress in women’s empowerment in Bangladesh.