Judges reassigned, Supreme Court Secretariat functions suspended

In a move that has effectively suspended the operations of the Supreme Court Secretariat, the government has removed fifteen lower court judges who were serving within its ranks and reassigned them to the Law Ministry. This significant development, detailed in a gazette notification, carries retrospective effect from April 10, meaning their detachment from the Secretariat began on that date.

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The government has removed 15 lower court judges who were serving as officials of the Supreme Court Secretariat and attached them to the law ministry, effectively suspending the Secretariat’s functions.

The Supreme Court Secretariat itself was a relatively new institution, established under an ordinance issued by the Dr. Muhammad Yunus-led interim government in November last year. Its inauguration in December was heralded as a crucial step towards bringing the judiciary under the direct control of the Supreme Court, thereby aiming to bolster judicial independence. The suspension of its functions now raises questions about the future of these objectives.

This action follows a recommendation from a special parliamentary committee, led by ruling BNP lawmaker Advocate Zainul Abedin, to allow twenty interim government ordinances to lapse. Among these was the ordinance that established the Supreme Court Secretariat. However, the Law Minister, Md. Asaduzzaman, indicated that the BNP government would conduct further scrutiny of these ordinances, particularly focusing on ensuring judicial independence, before considering their reintroduction as parliamentary bills.

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The Secretariat was established under the Supreme Court Secretariat Ordinance, 2025, issued by the Dr Muhammad Yunus-led interim government on November 30 last year. Then Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed inaugurated the Secretariat on December 10, aiming to bring the judiciary under Supreme Court control and strengthen judicial independence.

The implications of these judicial reassignments and the potential lapse of the Secretariat's founding ordinance are significant for the Bangladeshi judiciary. The Daily Star, as a publication committed to reporting on matters of national importance, will continue to monitor the government's deliberations on these ordinances and their impact on the independence and functioning of the courts.

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However, Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman told The Daily Star on April 3 that the BNP government would further scrutinise the ordinances to ensure judicial independence before reintroducing them as bills in parliament.