Separate secretariat for judiciary needed to ensure its independence: Chief Justice

Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed today underscored the need for establishing a separate secretariat for the judiciary under the Supreme Court in order to ensure its effective independence and make the reform activities of the interim government sustainable and meaningful.

He said, "Long-term sustainability of the reform initiatives taken by the interim government largely depends on the independence of the judiciary. An independent judiciary can perform its duties effectively only when institutional separation of judiciary is ensured through the establishment of an independent judicial secretariat."

The coming days are very important for achieving institutional autonomy of the judiciary, the chief justice said.

He was speaking as the chief guest at an iftar programme organised by Bangladesh Ain Samity at the Supreme Court Bar Association auditorium.

Some judges of the Appellate and High Court Divisions of the SC, Attorney General Asaduzzaman, Bangladesh Ain Samity leaders Advocate Monir Hossain, Md Shahjahan Sazu, Syed Azad Subhani, Md Kamal Hossain and Maksud Ullah, among others, were also present at the occasion.

The chief justice also said Bangladesh Ain Samity has an important role as a prestigious organisation formed with former students of the Department of Law of Dhaka University, at this critical time of nation reconstruction.

The talent, legal expertise and deep institutional connections of the members of this association can play an important role in favouring justice, efficiency and accountable judicial reforms in the country, he added.