Establishing an autonomous law university is a demand of time: CJ
Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain today said establishing an autonomous law university for the development of the state’s law and justice branch is a demand of the time.
He said this at a ceremony for awarding noted jurist Barrister Rafique-ul Haque with the “Khan Bahadur Ahsanullah Gold Medal-2017” in Dhaka.
“I will urge the country’s learned and well-off lawyers, including Barrister Rafique-ul Haque, so they establish at least one full-fledged law university like our neighbouring country which will help enriching the law education, its qualitative standard and research,” he told the ceremony as the chief guest.
“I believe they will be remembered for such initiative by the future generations, who will be law professionals,” he added.
Charity organisation Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM) arranged the ceremony at Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology (AUST) in the capital.
DAM has been awarding individuals with the prestigious medal, named after eminent social reformer Khan Bahadur Ahsanullah, since 1986. Individuals are nominated for the medal for their outstanding contribution to build the society, said the organisers.
Barrister Rafique-ul Haque received the award for his contribution as a lawyer and his social activism beyond professional surroundings, they said.
Terming Barrister Rafique-ul Haque as an “institution and a class by himself”, the CJ said, “His contribution to protect the image of the judiciary and establishing rule of law has been immense.”
Born in 1935 to an elite Muslim family, Rafique-ul Haque took law as profession in 1960 as an advocate at the Kolkata (then Calcutta) High Court in India.
He started practicing at the Dhaka High Court in 1962 and at the erstwhile Pakistan Supreme Court in 1965.
In 1975, he started his career as a senior advocate of the Appellate Division of Bangladesh Supreme Court. He was appointed as the country’s Attorney General in 1990.
Alongside his professional duties, Barrister Rafique-ul Haque helped establishing numerous social welfare and charity organisations. He has been a lifetime member of Bangladesh Diabetes Association since 1976 and has been performing as its vice-chairman over the last 28 years.
He is the chairman of the managing committee of Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation for Diabetes (BIRDEM) and a member of Ibrahim Cardiac Hospital and Research Institute.
He is also the founder of Farida Haque Memorial Hospital and Bangabandhu School and College in Gazipur. Barrister Rafique is a patron and executive committee member of DAM and also the chairman of Ad-din Foundation.
Speaking of his contribution, National Professor Anisuzzaman said, “I respectfully recall his social contributions beyond his duty as a lawyer, especially those in the fields of education and health.”
DAM President Kazi Rafiqul Alam also attended the ceremony.