Chief Justice Dr Syed Refaat Ahmed on Saturday said the judiciary must be the architect of its own reform -- transparent, accountable and free from executive influence. Speaking at a regional seminar in Rangpur, the Chief Justice emphasised the foundational role of judicial independence in upholding the rule of law. “Judicial reform is no longer a distant aspiration, it is unfolding now. Over the past eight months, we have taken bold and transformative steps to ensure true judicial independence, including the establishment of autonomous judicial bodies, digital innovation and people-centric services,” he said. “I deeply value the strategic partnership with UNDP, whose continued support has been instrumental in advancing this reform agenda across the country,” the Chief Justice added. British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke said an independent and efficient judiciary is vital for the rule of law and the foundation upon which the rights and freedoms of individuals rest. “It is more important than ever as Bangladesh charts the pathway to a democratic, inclusive and prosperous future,” she said while speaking at the seminar. Dr Yunus seeks Thaksin’s support to strengthen ties, resolve Rohingya crisis She reiterated the UK’s commitment to justice sector reform and inclusive governance. The British High Commissioner said the Chief Justice’s roadmap is both timely and transformative, offering a strategic vision that responds to citizens’ aspirations for a fair, timely and accessible justice system, according to UNDP. Bangladesh Supreme Court and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) organised the sixth regional seminar titled “Judicial Independence and Efficiency” bringing together senior members of the judiciary, legal experts and development partners to promote transparency, efficiency, and accountability within the justice system. Resident Representative of UNDP Bangladesh Stefan Liller delivered the welcome remarks, highlighting UNDP’s long-standing partnership in supporting judicial reform in Bangladesh. “The divisional seminars ensure an inclusive reform process by engaging judges across Bangladesh. UNDP is proud to be part of this journey, building on over a decade of collaboration with the Supreme Court. Our support spans justice service delivery, digitalisation, case backlog reduction, court administration and access to justice for vulnerable communities," said Stefan Liller. Judge of the High Court Division, Supreme Court of Bangladesh Justice Zafor Ahmed delivered special remarks, stressing the urgency of institutional autonomy for long-term judicial development. Md Muajjem Hussain, Special Officer, Bangladesh Supreme Court, made a presentation on the proposed framework of the "Independent Supreme Court Secretariat" underscoring its potential to enhance administrative and financial autonomy of the judiciary. The regional seminar series continues to serve as a platform for meaningful dialogue and collaboration to advance judicial excellence in Bangladesh.

High Court Justice Shahed Nuruddin has resigned while allegations against him were under investigation in the Supreme Judicial Council. In a message sent by the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division Public Relations Officer (PRO) Shafiqul Islam on Thursday, it was confirmed that Justice Shahed Nuruddin submitted his resignation letter to the President through the Chief Justice of Bangladesh from Canada while an investigation against him was ongoing under the Supreme Judicial Council. Govt approves ordinance for transparent HC judge appointments He and his wife left the country on November 9 last year and are currently in Canada. Justice Shahed Nuruddin was appointed as an Additional Judge of the High Court on October 21, 2019 during the tenure of the previous Awami League government, following his retirement as a District and Sessions Judge. His appointment was made permanent two years later. He came into the spotlight for delivering the verdict in the widely discussed August 21 grenade attack case while serving as the judge of Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal No. 1. The High Court later acquitted all the accused in the case. Justice Nuruddin also delivered verdicts in several other high-profile cases, including the Sony murder case, Ahsanullah Master murder case, “Pichchi Hannan” murder case, and college teacher Krishna Kaberi murder case, among others. Appellate Division upholds HC's dismissal of 5 labour cases against Dr Yunus A graduate of Dhaka University’s law department, he joined the judiciary as a Munsif in 1983 and was promoted to District Judge in 2000. His resignation comes in the wake of growing scrutiny over judicial appointments made during Sheikh Hasina’s tenure as prime minister. On October 16 last year, Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed placed 12 judges, including Nuruddin, on leave following demands for the removal of judges accused of partisanship and corruption. Subsequently, from October 20, he was barred from conducting judicial duties. On the same day, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement held a demonstration at the High Court demanding the resignation of Awami League-backed judges, while the Anti-Discrimination Lawyers’ Society and the National Citizens’ Committee’s Legal Wing also staged protests calling for the removal of politically affiliated judges. Following these events, Supreme Court Registrar General Aziz Ahmad Bhuiyan announced that 12 judges of the High Court Division would not be assigned to any benches. However, at that time, their names were not disclosed. Later, they were absent from the High Court’s cause list. One of the judges has since retired. In November last year, the Supreme Court administration issued a notice stating that the Supreme Judicial Council was reviewing information regarding several judges after the ruling on the 16th Amendment. On December 4, the administration further confirmed that a preliminary investigation into the conduct of several judges was ongoing. BNP welcomes HC verdict scrapping part of 15th Amendment On December 15, the Supreme Judicial Council invoked Article 96 of the Constitution and submitted information on several judges to the President. According to an update on the Supreme Court’s website on January 6, the President has instructed the Supreme Judicial Council to investigate multiple Supreme Court judges under Article 96(5)(B) of the Constitution. The investigation is set to begin next week.

Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed has nominated Appellate Division’s Senior Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury as the head of the Election Commission search committee. Moreover, High Court’s Senior Justice AKM Asaduzzaman has been mentioned as a member of the search committee. Wishing not to be named, a senior official of the Supreme Court's administrative division, said a letter recommending the two justices was sent to the Cabinet Division in this regard. Earlier on Tuesday, Law Affairs Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul said a search committee has been formed to establish the Election Commission. The recommendation has been submitted to the Chief Adviser for signature, and official notification will be issued as soon as the signature is obtained today or tomorrow, said the adviser. Election Commission seeks opinions on electoral reform   He emphasised the government’s steps toward a fair election, starting with the establishment of the Election Commission. He further noted that once the Election Commission is constituted, the priority will be updating the voter list to eliminate fake entries allegedly added by the previous government. As per the rule, the President constitutes a Search Committee to gather nominations from the public for the post of Chief Election Commissioner and other commissioners. A six-member search committee formed headed by a senior justice of the Appellate Division. The committee will propose 10 names considering the eligibility and disqualification of the law. The President will form the EC taking five out of the 10 recommended members.