Staff Reporter :
Law Adviser Asif Nazrul on Monday emphasized the pressing need for comprehensive reforms in Bangladesh’s judiciary, stating that political bias in the appointment of judges has severely compromised its credibility.
“The politicized appointment of judges in the High Court has played a central role in the judiciary’s degradation. Regardless of how controversial or difficult the term ‘reform’ might be, we have no choice but to pursue it,” Nazrul remarked during a dialogue titled “Dialogue for Democratic Reconstruction on Judiciary,” held at the CIRDAP Auditorium.
The event was organized by the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS).
Nazrul criticized the current appointment practices, saying, “When judges are selected based on their loyalty to political slogans such as ‘Joy Bangla’ or ‘Zindabad,’ the prospect of delivering true justice becomes bleak. It’s imperative to reevaluate our methods and introduce practical tools, like progress-tracking charts, rather than relying solely on recommendations.”
On the matter of lower court independence, he noted, “Our focus is often limited to ensuring the independence of the lower courts, which essentially means making them accountable to the High Court. However, if the High Court itself is riddled with corruption and political allegiance, achieving judicial independence becomes impossible.”
To enhance transparency, Nazrul proposed creating an independent secretariat or Registrar General’s office for the High Court.
“This proposal, originally put forward by the Chief Justice, is currently under review, and we intend to conduct further consultations to ensure its effective implementation,” he added.
