Dhaka //
Chief Justice Syed Refat Ahmed said that the Supreme Judicial Council has been restored and strengthened by settling the verdict ‘review’ of the 16th Amendment case of the Constitution. The provision that the power to impeach Supreme Court judges rests with the parliament has been removed. Through this, it has been ensured that the judiciary is free from unreasonable political influence.
The Chief Justice said these things while speaking as the chief guest at a seminar titled ‘Judicial Independence and Efficiency in Bangladesh’ on Saturday. The Supreme Court and UNDP jointly organized this seminar.
Stating that the independence of the judiciary is definitely a complement to efficiency, the Chief Justice said, ‘Technology is being used to make the court’s activities more efficient and transparent. Digitalization is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. The judiciary is striving to reduce delays in trials, increase transparency and make them seamless by integrating modern tools and technology. And the support of development partners is essential to achieve these initiatives.’
He said, “At the heart of all our efforts is a single objective: to create a judiciary that serves the people. Where every litigant, regardless of their status or circumstances, feels assured that their case will be heard and disposed of impartially. We need a judiciary that bridges the gap and makes justice more accessible through technology, legal aid and procedural reforms. This vision is not mine alone, it is a shared aspiration that requires the collective commitment of all stakeholders.”
The seminar, chaired by Justice Ashfaqul Islam of the Appellate Division, was also addressed by UNDP Resident Representative Stefan Liler. Later, High Court Justice Farah Mahbub, Justice Md. Mohammad Ali, Supreme Court Special Officer and Additional Attorney General Md. Moazzem Hossain participated in thematic discussions in various sessions throughout the day. The seminar was attended by High Court Judges, District Judiciary Judges, Supreme Court Registry, Ministry of Law, Judicial Administration Training Institute, Bangladesh Judicial Service Commission and Judicial officers appointed in the Law Commission. The seminar was moderated by Shahreen Tilottama, UNDP’s Program Lead for Access to Justice.
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