Supreme Court of Bangladesh

The Supreme Court of Bangladesh is divided into two parts: the Appellate Division and the High Court Division. The High Court Division hears appeals from lower courts and tribunals; it also has original jurisdiction in certain limited cases, such as writ jurisdiction under Article 102 of the Constitution of Bangladesh, and company and admiralty matters. The Appellate Division has jurisdiction to hear appeals from the High Court Division under Article 103 of the Constitution of Bangladesh.[http://www.minlaw.gov.bd/supremecourt.htm Supreme Court of Bangladesh] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130725051218/http://www.minlaw.gov.bd/supremecourt.htm |date=25 July 2013 }}, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs of Bangladesh[http://www.clcbd.org First Bangladesh Online Case Law Database] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061214071623/http://www.clcbd.org/ |date=14 December 2006 }}, Chancery Law Chronicles- Database of Judgements of Appellate Division of Supreme Court The Supreme Court is independent of the executive branch, and is able to rule against the government in politically controversial cases.[http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/world/bangladesh.htm Bangladesh] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120910062216/http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/world/bangladesh.htm |date=10 September 2012 }}, "Jurist Legal News and Research", University of Pittsburgh School of Law

The chief justice of Bangladesh is appointed by the president, while other judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the president following mandatory consultation with the chief justice.{{cite book|title=The Constitution of the People's Republic of Bangladesh|publisher=Ministry of Law, The People's Republic of Bangladesh|chapter=Article 94. Establishment of Supreme Court}} The entry point to the seat of judges in the High Court Division is the post of additional judge who are appointed from the practising Advocates of the Supreme Court Bar Association and from the judicial service under the provision of Article 98 of the constitution for a period of two years. The current ratio of such appointment is 80%–20% (80% from the advocates of the supreme court and 20% from the judges of district courts). Upon successful completion of this period and upon recommendation by the chief justice an Additional Judge is appointed permanently by the president of Bangladesh under the provision of Article 95 of the Constitution. The judges of the Appellate Division are also appointed by the president of Bangladesh under the same provision. All such appointments come into effect on and from the date of taking oath by the appointee under the provision of Article 148 of the constitution.

A judge of the Bangladesh Supreme Court serves until the age of 67, as extended by Article 95 of the Constitution through the (Thirteenth) Amendment Act, 2004 (Act 14 of 2004). A retiring judge faces disability in pleading or acting before any court or authority or holding any office of profit in the service of the republic, not being a judicial or quasi-judicial office or the office of the chief adviser or adviser.

A Supreme Court judge is not removable from office except in accordance with the provision of Article 96 of the Constitution which provides for the Supreme Judicial Council empowering it to remove a judge of the Supreme Court from office upon allowing the delinquent judge an opportunity of being heard. The supreme judicial council is constituted with the chief justice of Bangladesh and next two senior judges of the Appellate Division, provided if at any time the Council inquiring into the capacity or conduct of a judge who is a member of the supreme judicial council, or a member of the council is absent or is unable to act due to illness or other cause, the judge who is the next in seniority to those who are members of the council shall act as such member.

Supreme court judges are independent in their judicial function as empowered through article 94(4) of the Constitution.

As per Article 111 of the Constitution of Bangladesh, 1972, the Supreme Court judgments have binding effects and the article provides that the law declared by the Appellate Division shall be binding on the High Court Division and the law declared by either division of the Supreme Court shall be binding on all courts subordinate to it.

These judgements are usually summarised in the Bangladesh Supreme Court Digest. There are also many law reports which publish the judgments and orders of the Supreme Court. All these law reports are in printed volumes. The Chancery Law Chronicles offers the online service of judgments of Supreme Court of Bangladesh.

Although Bengali is the only state language of Bangladesh in accordance with the article 3 of the Constitution of Bangladesh, the verdicts given by the judges at the Supreme Court of Bangladesh are frequently in English following the colonial tradition of the British rule, violating the Bengali Language Implementation Act, 1987.{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/law-our-rights/how-far-the-use-bangla-the-court-bangladesh-1364722 |title=How far the use of 'Bangla' in the Court of Bangladesh? |date=2017-02-21 |work=The Daily Star |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190424202030/https://www.thedailystar.net/law-our-rights/how-far-the-use-bangla-the-court-bangladesh-1364722 |archive-date=2019-04-24 |access-date=2019-05-17}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/law-our-rights/linguistic-rights-rhetoric-v-reality-2378 |title=Linguistic rights - Rhetoric v Reality |date=2015-02-17 |work=The Daily Star |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190424202017/https://www.thedailystar.net/law-our-rights/linguistic-rights-rhetoric-v-reality-2378 |archive-date=2019-04-24 |access-date=2019-05-17}}{{Cite news |url=http://bonikbarta.net/bangla/fbs/2016-02-21/67017/ |script-title=bn:বিচার বিভাগে বাংলা প্রচলনে বুদ্ধিবৃত্তিক আন্দোলন প্রয়োজন |work=Bonik Barta |language=bn |trans-title=Intellectual movement needed to implement Bengali in the Judiciary |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190517160926/http://bonikbarta.net/bangla/news/2016-02-21/67017/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%82%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A7%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%83%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%95-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%9F%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%A8/ |archive-date=2019-05-17 |access-date=2019-05-17}}{{Cite news |url=http://www.theindependentbd.com/printversion/details/34714 |title=Bangla yet to be used in judicial work |work=The Independent |location=Dhaka |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190425140606/http://www.theindependentbd.com/printversion/details/34714 |archive-date=2019-04-25 |access-date=2019-05-17}} Sheikh Hasina, the immediate past prime minister of Bangladesh, suggested that the judges should deliver their verdicts in Bengali so that every Bangladeshi can read them, and, later on if need be, the verdicts could be translated into English.{{Cite news |url=https://bangla.bdnews24.com/bangladesh/article1595479.bdnews|script-title=bn:রায় লিখুন বাংলায়, যাতে মানুষ বোঝে: প্রধানমন্ত্রী|date=2019-02-21|work=bdnews24.com|trans-title='Write verdicts in Bengali so that people understand' - Prime Minister|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190222124720/https://bangla.bdnews24.com/bangladesh/article1595479.bdnews|archive-date=2019-02-22|access-date=2019-03-26}} Muhammad Habibur Rahman, a former chief justice of Bangladesh, stated that if justice is a virtue and a service to the people, then verdicts should be given in Bengali. He also stated that if the people of the country want that all works in the Supreme Court must be operated in Bengali, then the representatives of the people in the Jatiya Sangsad (Parliament of Bangladesh) must enact and implement law to ensure the use of Bengali in the Supreme Court.{{Cite book|title=Prothome Matribhasha Parobhasha Porey|last=Rahman|first=Muhammad Habibur|publisher=The University Press Limited|year=2014|isbn=978-984-506-181-0|edition=2nd|location=Dhaka|pages=51–52|language=bn|script-title=bn:প্রথমে মাতৃভাষা পরভাষা পরে|trans-title=The first language first, the second language second|chapter=Bangla Bhashar Sangram Ekhono Asamapto|script-chapter=bn:বাংলা ভাষার সংগ্রাম এখনো অসমাপ্ত|trans-chapter=Bengali language movement yet to be successful|author-link=Muhammad Habibur Rahman}}

1. Justice Sheikh Abdul Awal
2. Justice Mamnoon Rahman
3. Justice Md. Rezaul Hasan
4. Justice Sheikh Md. Zakir Hossain
5. Justice Md. Habibul Gani
6. Justice Gobinda Chandra Tagore
7. Justice J. B. M. Hassan
8. Justice Md. Ruhul Quddus{{cite news |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=253888 |title=4 HC judges to be sworn in today |work=The Daily Star |date=15 October 2012 |access-date=12 November 2016 |archive-date=15 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015151034/http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=253888 |url-status=live }}
9. Justice Md. Khasruzzaman
10. Justice Farid Ahmed
11. Justice Md. Nazrul Islam Talukder
12. Justice M Akram Hossain Chowdhury{{cite news |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=260616 |title=Jobs of 4 HC judges regularised |work=The Daily Star |date=10 December 2012 |access-date=12 November 2016}}{{cite news |url=http://www.banglanews24.com/English/detailsnews.php?nssl=58f8c46640e1a2ba4057a3b8873b4ca9&nttl=2012121059432 |title=4 new Justices sworn in |work=banglanews24.com |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130117160116/http://www.banglanews24.com/English/detailsnews.php?nssl=58f8c46640e1a2ba4057a3b8873b4ca9&nttl=2012121059432 |archive-date=17 January 2013 |access-date=12 November 2016 |url-status=live }}
13. Justice M Ashraful Kamal
14. Justice K. M. Kamrul Kader{{cite news |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/news-in-brief-334/ |title=News in Brief |work=The Daily Star |date=8 October 2013 |access-date=12 November 2016 |archive-date=12 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012112423/http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/news-in-brief-334/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news |title=HC judges sworn in |url=https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2013/10/07/ten-hc-judges-sworn-in |work=bdnews24.com |date=7 October 2013 |access-date=12 November 2016 |archive-date=3 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210603141234/https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2013/10/07/ten-hc-judges-sworn-in |url-status=live }}
15. Justice Md. Mozibur Rahman Miah
16. Justice Mostofa Zaman Islam
17. Justice Mohammad Ullah
18. Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar
19. Justice Shahidul Karim
20. Justice Mohammad Jahangir Hossain
21. Justice Abu Taher Mohammad Saifur Rahman
22. Justice Ashish Ranjan Das{{cite news |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/5-addl-hc-judges-sworn-in-28242 |title=5 addl HC judges sworn in |work=The Daily Star |date=12 June 2014 |access-date=12 November 2016 |archive-date=7 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160807084614/http://www.thedailystar.net/5-addl-hc-judges-sworn-in-28242 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=238368 |title=Justice Manik tasked with criminal cases |work=The Daily Star |date=15 June 2012 |access-date=12 November 2016}}
23. Justice Mahmudul Haque
24. Justice Badruzzaman Badol
25. Justice Zafar Ahmed
26. Justice Kazi Md. Ejarul Haque Akondo
27. Justice Khizir Ahmed Choudhury{{cite news |url=http://thedailystar.net/10-hc-judges-sworn-in-64598 |title=10 HC judges sworn in |work=The Daily Star |date=13 February 2015 |access-date=12 November 2016 |archive-date=7 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160807081323/http://www.thedailystar.net/10-hc-judges-sworn-in-64598 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |script-title=bn:হাই কোর্টে স্থায়ী হলেন ৮ বিচারক |url=https://bangla.bdnews24.com/bangladesh/article1285265.bdnews |work=bdnews24.com |date=8 February 2017 |language=bn |access-date=24 March 2021 |archive-date=1 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301045653/https://bangla.bdnews24.com/bangladesh/article1285265.bdnews |url-status=live }}
28. Justice Razik-Al-Jalil
29. Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty
30. Justice Md. Iqbal Kabir
31. Justice Md. Salim
32. Justice Md. Shohrowardi
33. Justice A. S. M. Abdul Mobin{{cite news |title=18 additional HC judges appointed |url=http://www.newagebd.net/article/42513/18-additional-hc-judges-appointed |work=New Age |date=31 May 2018 |access-date=31 May 2018 |archive-date=6 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190806071530/http://www.newagebd.net/article/42513/18-additional-hc-judges-appointed |url-status=live }}{{cite news |title=18 HC judges sworn in |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/city/news/18-hc-judges-sworn-1906624 |work=The Daily Star |date=30 May 2020 |access-date=30 May 2020 |archive-date=30 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930195516/https://www.thedailystar.net/city/news/18-hc-judges-sworn-1906624 |url-status=live }}
34. Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman
35. Madam Justice Fatema Najib
36. Justice Md. Kamrul Hossain Molla
37. Justice S. M. Kuddus Zaman
38. Justice Md Atoar Rahman
39. Justice Shashanka Shekhar Sarkar
40. Justice Mohammad Ali
41. Justice Mohi Uddin Shamim
42. Justice Md. Riaz Uddin Khan
43. Justice Md Khairul Alam
44. Justice S. M. Moniruzzaman
45. Justice Ahmed Sohel
46. Justice Sardar Mohammad Rashed Jahangir
47. Justice Khondaker Diliruzzaman
48. Justice K. M. Hafizul Alam
49. Justice Muhammad Mahbub-Ul-Islam{{cite news |title=Nine new HC judges appointed |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/backpage/news/nine-new-hc-judges-appointed-1816462 |work=The Daily Star |date=21 October 2019 |access-date=21 October 2019 |archive-date=21 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021015724/https://www.thedailystar.net/backpage/news/nine-new-hc-judges-appointed-1816462 |url-status=live }}
50. Justice Shahed Nuruddin
51. Justice Md Zakir Hossain
52. Justice Md Akhtaruzzaman
53. Justice Md Mahmud Hasan Talukder
54. Justice Kazi Ebadoth Hossain
55. Justice K. M. Zahid Sarwar
56. Justice A. K. M. Zahirul Huq
57. Madam Justice Kazi Zinat Hoque
58. Justice Mohammad Showkat Ali Chowdhury[https://www.bssnews.net/news/74683 11 newly-appointed HC judges take oath][https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/nine-new-hc-judges-take-oath-3665626]
59. Justice Md. Atabullah
60. Justice Biswajit Debnath
61. Justice Md. Ali Reza
62. Justice Md. Bazlur Rahman
63. Justice K. M. Emrul Kayesh
64. Justice Fahmida Quader
65. Justice Md. Bashir Ullah
66. Justice A. K. M. Rabiul Hassan
67. Justice Debasish Roy Chowdhury
68. Justice Sikder Mahmudur Razi
69. Justice Md. Sagir Hossain

1. Justice Md. Aminul Islam
2. Justice S M Masud Hossain Dolon

Former chief justice Surandra Kumar Sinha was the first justice appointed from Monipuri or any minority Ethnic groups in Bangladesh. Former justice Bhabani Prasad Sinha is also from the same community.

Madam justice Nazmun Ara Sultana was the first ever female justice, and Madam Justice Krishna Debnath is the first female Hindu justice of Bangladesh. There are currently seven female justices in the supreme court.

In 2004, Justice Syed Shahidur Rahman was terminated by President Iajuddin Ahmed on corruption allegation.{{Cite news |date=2004-04-21 |title=Bangladesh Judge Fired for Graft |url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/248019 |access-date=2022-08-10 |work=Arab News |language=en |archive-date=10 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220810124219/https://www.arabnews.com/node/248019 |url-status=live }}

Former chief justice Mohammad Fazlul Karim withheld the oath taking of Justice Md. Ruhul Quddus (Babu) as he was involved in the murder of Aaslam, a pro-Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh student of Rajshahi University, on 17 November 1988, when he was a leader of Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), and Justice Mohammad Khosruzzaman was overtly involved in contempt of court on 30 November 2006.{{cite news |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=161341 |title=Oath of 2 angers pro-BNP lawyers |date=5 November 2010 |work=The Daily Star |access-date=12 November 2016 |archive-date=23 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023223358/http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=161341 |url-status=live }}

Justice Shah Abu Nayeem Mominur Rahman, an appellate division judge, first ever among these judges, resigned on 12 May 2011 due to supersession, as he was presumed to be the chief justice of Bangladesh on 18 May 2011.{{cite news |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=185465 |title=CJ-hopeful Nayeem resigns |work=The Daily Star |date=13 May 2011 |access-date=12 November 2016}}

Justice Mohammad Nizamul Huq resigned from the post of International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 chairman on 11 December 2012 amid controversy for holding Skype conversations with an expatriate Bangladeshi legal expert based in Belgium.{{cite news |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=263292 |title=Remove Justice Nizamul from HC |work=The Daily Star |date=31 December 2012 |access-date=12 November 2016}}

The president of Bangladesh ordered the formation of a Supreme Judicial Council to investigate alleged misconduct of High Court justice Mizanur Rahman Bhuiyan after he distributed copies of a 17 February The Daily Inqilab report, termed slain (on 15 February 2013) 2013 Shahbag protests activist and blogger Ahmed Rajib Haider was a moortad (heretic), among the justices of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh.{{cite news |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=270667 |title=Pro-BNP, Jamaat lawyers oppose president's move |work=The Daily Star |date=27 February 2013 |access-date=12 November 2016 |archive-date=8 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130308060214/http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=270667 |url-status=live }}

Justice A B M Altaf Hossain was not confirmed as a permanent justice on 12 June 2014 despite recommendation from the chief justice of Bangladesh. So he has served legal notices to the top bureaucrats of Bangladesh government to reinstate him within 72 hours.{{cite news |title=Legal notice served on govt |url=http://theindependentbd.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=221939:legal-notice-served-on-govt&catid=132:backpage&Itemid=122 |work=The Independent |location=Dhaka |date=7 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714205614/http://theindependentbd.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=221939:legal-notice-served-on-govt&catid=132:backpage&Itemid=122 |archive-date=14 July 2014}}

Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha resigned on 11 November 2017 from Singapore while on a leave, and transiting from Australia to Canada.{{Cite news |url=https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2017/11/11/president-s-office-receives-justice-sinha-s-resignation |title=President's office receives Justice Sinha's resignation |work=bdnews24.com |access-date=2018-03-20 |archive-date=12 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171112132031/https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2017/11/11/president-s-office-receives-justice-sinha-s-resignation |url-status=live }} Later on former chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha was sentenced in absentia to 11 years in jail for money laundering and criminal breach of trust.{{Cite news |title=Bangladesh's ex-chief justice sentenced to 11 years in jail for money laundering |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/bangladesh-s-ex-chief-justice-sentenced-to-11-years-in-jail-for-money-laundering/2416337 |access-date=2022-07-25 |publisher=Anadolu Agency |archive-date=25 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220725133531/https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/bangladesh-s-ex-chief-justice-sentenced-to-11-years-in-jail-for-money-laundering/2416337 |url-status=live }}

Former justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik, a judge of the appellate Division of Supreme Court of Bangladesh gained notoriety for number of controversies.In 2003, he accused traffic police officers of contempt of court for not saluting his car while it was passing. The then inspector general of police of the Bangladesh Police, Shahudul Haque, issued a rejoinder that said traffic police are under no obligations to salute anyone and they could do so if it was safe. The High Court Division bench of Justice M A Matin and Justice Syed Refat Ahmed issued a contempt of court charge against Haque which automatically removed him from the post of Inspector General according to the law. The government of Bangladesh secured a presidential pardon that protected Haque's job.{{Cite news |title=The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 4 Num 241 |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/2004/01/28/d4012801022.htm |access-date=2022-07-25 |work=The Daily Star |archive-date=3 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181103091839/http://archive.thedailystar.net/2004/01/28/d4012801022.htm |url-status=dead }}{{Cite news |title=The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 5 Num 194 |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/2004/12/09/d4120901099.htm |access-date=2022-07-25 |work=The Daily Star |archive-date=3 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181103091845/http://archive.thedailystar.net/2004/12/09/d4120901099.htm |url-status=dead }} He was also criticised for his vitriolic attack on various politicians including Speaker and members of the Parliament.{{Cite news |date=2015-09-21 |title=Justice Manik and image of judiciary |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/justice-manik-and-image-judiciary-146344 |access-date=2022-07-25 |work=The Daily Star |language=en |archive-date=25 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220725141901/https://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/justice-manik-and-image-judiciary-146344 |url-status=live }}

• Caretaker Government of Bangladesh
• Executive Magistrate of Bangladesh

{{Reflist|1}}

• {{Official website|http://www.supremecourt.gov.bd}}
• {{commons-inline}}
• [http://www.minlaw.gov.bd Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Bangladesh]
• {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20090517085523/http://www.bangladeshbarcouncil.org/ Bangladesh Bar Council]}}
• [http://www.clcbd.org Chancery Law Chronicles-First ever Online Database of Bangladesh Laws]
• [http://www.bdlawdigest.org Bangladesh Law Digest – BDLD]

{{Bangladesh topics}}

{{Government of Bangladesh}}

{{Asia topic|Supreme Court of|title=Supreme Courts of Asia|countries_only=yes}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Government of Bangladesh

Bangladesh

Category:1972 establishments in Bangladesh

Category:Courts and tribunals established in 1972