Bangladesh High Court, bench excluding 12 judges! – Bangladesh Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed reconstituted 54 benches of the high court

This time, Dhaka: The Chief Justice of Bangladesh, Syed Refat Ahmed, reorganized the 54 benches of the High Court after giving in to the pressure of the student community, excluding 12 judges. The trial work will start from next Sunday in the new bench, this information was learned from the sources of the High Court of Bangladesh on Thursday. It was decided on Wednesday to send 12 judges of the High Court on leave in the face of the demands of Bangladeshi students. However, former judges and lawyers believe that this action of the Chief Justice will have an adverse effect. Manzil Morsed, a senior lawyer of the Supreme Court, said, 'The way in which the judges are being forced to resign by bowing to the demands of the protesters, their power is being taken away, is very sad. In this, the independence of the judiciary will be undermined, it will fall on its face. There are legal and constitutional procedures for redressal of any grievances against judges. Without doing that, judges cannot be removed in the face of demands.'

After the fall of the Hasina government in Bangladesh on August 5, the agitators forced the resignation of 6 judges of the Supreme Court, including Chief Justice Obaidul Hasan. After their resignation, BNP supporters-lawyers demanded the resignation of 30 High Court judges. The interim government has already appointed 21 judges to the High Court without following any rules. It is reported that some of them were directly associated with BNP politics.

Masdar Hossain, a former judge and member of the Judiciary Reform Commission, said, “Forcing judges to resign in the face of agitation or demands is unfair.” Why should a judge be removed on the basis of which government he is appointed to? Why not see his professional skills and integrity? The Chief Justice has the power not to grant a bench. But why would it be in the face of demand or movement?

The previous Chief Justice was forced to resign out of fear. The current Chief Justice should have made it clear that there will be an investigation if there is a complaint. No one can be dismissed on demand. What is being done now is not good for a civilized state.' Ex-judge and ex-registrar of the Supreme Court Iktedar Ahmed also thinks that the resignation of judges in this way is not acceptable in any way.