Tense Situation Emerges Between Chief Justice and Bar President at Supreme Court

A tense situation developed between the Chief Justice of Bangladesh and Supreme Court Bar Association President Barrister A M Mahbub Uddin Khokon during proceedings at the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

The situation arose during the morning proceedings. At one point, the Chief Justice and four other judges of the Appellate Division reportedly left the courtroom.

Later, at a press conference, Supreme Court Bar President Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon expressed concerns over the pace of judicial proceedings, the number of active benches and several issues affecting the legal profession.

He said the reduced number of benches in the Appellate Division had created additional pressure on the hearing and disposal of cases. According to him, the situation was contributing to delays for litigants and affecting the regular professional activities of lawyers.

The Bar president also raised concerns about delays in hearing matters involving stays or injunctions issued by the Chamber Court. He said prolonged delays in such cases could create difficulties for the parties involved.

He also commented on a recent decision to impose a fine on a junior lawyer, saying that the circumstances of such cases should be carefully considered within the judicial process.

Another issue raised at the press conference was the practice of ‘mentioning’ urgent cases before the Appellate Division. The Bar president said restrictions on the process had made it more difficult for lawyers to bring urgent matters to the court’s attention.

According to court-related sources, the discussion over these issues during Tuesday morning’s proceedings became heated between the Bar president and the Chief Justice. Subsequently, the Chief Justice and four other judges left the courtroom.

The incident has drawn attention among lawyers and litigants at the country’s highest court. However, no immediate official response was available from the Chief Justice or the Supreme Court administration regarding the issues raised by the Bar president.