Adviser on Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs. Asif Nazrul says, The Supreme Judicial Council has been revived or re-enforced by disposing of review petitions for the annulment of the Sixteenth Amendment to the Constitution. There was some ‘confusion’ about it. It has been removed by the court ruling today. That means the Supreme Judicial Council can now be fully implemented.

He said these things while talking to reporters in his office at the Secretariat on Sunday (October 20, 2024 AD).

Asif Nazrul said that there is a special significance of the present time, there are some judges in our high court, there are many complaints about them from different levels of society. They became the oppressive apparatus of the fascist forces that fell in the mass revolution last July. Besides, there are allegations of corruption against some, which have been published in newspapers and magazines.
That is why the students have a lot of anger about them. All these grievances have constitutionally opened up an avenue for settlement through the Supreme Judicial Council.

The adviser said the High Court is completely independent. The High Court will act accordingly. But we feel, now at least the students got a proper forum to present their grievances to the proper authorities. We want to see a positive development of this.

The legal adviser said that the Constitution itself has said about the formation of the Supreme Judicial Council. The Council is constituted by the Chief Justice and the two most senior judges of the Appellate Division. If someone files a complaint against a judge there today, the process will begin.

The adviser also said that when the Supreme Judicial Council was defunct there was no forum to ensure accountability of high-court judges. The then high court administration did not have the will to ensure accountability. Because then the verdict was formal. Addressing the reporters, he said, “You know what kind of judgment has been passed against former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.”

Tariq Rahman was not allowed to speak in Bangladesh. There have been such judgments as to suppress freedom of speech. Besides, many people did not get the opportunity to protect their human rights. Has been victimized in various ways. I believe that the current authorities have the will to ensure the accountability of the courts. Now the forum to implement it has also been revived.
I see this as a positive.