Chief Justice: 80% of Judicial Reform Programme Already Implemented

Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed stated on Monday that nearly 80 per cent of the judicial reform programme announced previously has already been put into effect.

“Almost 80 per cent of the programme has been executed. I hope the remaining initiatives will also be carried out with the support of the government,” he said.

The Chief Justice made the remarks while serving as the chief guest at a discussion titled “July Uprising: Judicial Reforms”, hosted by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) at its auditorium.

He highlighted the importance of completing reforms to ensure full institutional autonomy of the judiciary, increasing transparency in its operations, maintaining discipline among judicial officers, and extending the reform process to courts across the country.

Refaat Ahmed added that the judiciary is working tirelessly to restore its full independence and uphold discipline. “The judiciary must serve the people with fairness, courage, and integrity,” he said.

He also expressed optimism about establishing an independent secretariat for the Supreme Court, describing it as a key proposal under government consideration. “If implemented, this secretariat will further strengthen the constitutional separation of powers and reinforce the judiciary’s independence,” he noted.

The Chief Justice emphasized that the judiciary’s credibility largely relies on the fairness of judicial appointments. He called the activation of the Supreme Judicial Appointment Council a historic move, as it introduced a collegium-based system that ensures transparency and participation in the recruitment process.

The discussion was presided over by SCBA President Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon. Other speakers included Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman, Bangladesh Bar Council Vice Chairman and senior lawyer Zainul Abedin, Gono Forum Executive President and senior lawyer Subrata Chowdhury, and BNP Law Affairs Secretary Barrister Kaiser Kamal.