Judicial reforms ‘strengthening independence’ in Bangladesh: CJ

Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed has said the independence of Bangladesh’s judiciary is being “strengthened” through a series of reforms aimed at enhancing efficiency and earning public trust.

He made the remarks at a seminar in Barishal, organised jointly by the Bangladesh Supreme Court and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Thursday. The seminar, titled Judicial Independence and Efficiency in Bangladesh, was part of a nationwide series tied to the implementation of the judicial reform roadmap unveiled by the chief justice last year.

Eight similar events have already been held in Dhaka, Chattogram, Moulvibazar, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Rangpur, and Khulna. Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury of the Appellate Division presided over the Barishal seminar, with Chief Justice Refaat as the chief guest.

Speaking at the event, Refaat highlighted that the reform roadmap has become “a reality,” reshaping court culture, public expectations, and the credibility of the judiciary. He noted the enactment of the Supreme Judicial Appointments Council Ordinance of 2025, which established a collegium-based process for appointing judges to the Appellate and High Court Divisions. “Through this, the much-awaited national consensus has been converted into law, and the independence of the judiciary is being strengthened through a process worthy of public trust,” he said.

The chief justice also highlighted preparations for a separate Supreme Court Secretariat, the revival of the Supreme Judicial Council to restore the constitutional process for disciplining judges, and the creation of 232 new judicial posts at the district level to reduce case backlogs.

Refaat further pointed to modernisation measures, including helpline services in all eight divisional cities and 64 districts, as well as technology-enabled systems to improve efficiency. On commercial law, he said the Supreme Court had drafted a Commercial Court Ordinance for 2025 to establish specialised courts, skilled judges, and tech-driven systems for expedited trade dispute resolution, aimed at building investor confidence and strengthening Bangladesh’s business environment.