Supreme Judicial Council summons former HC judge Khurshid

The Supreme Judicial Council has summoned former High Court Division Judge Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar for a final hearing regarding allegations of misconduct. The hearing is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, September 2, before the SJC chaired by the Chief Justice of Bangladesh.

Justice Khurshid had previously been placed on leave following an inquiry into alleged irregularities. His case is among the high-profile judicial accountability proceedings initiated after the political transition last year.

In a related development, the final hearing into the conduct of another High Court judge, Justice Md. Akhtaruzzaman, who was also placed on leave on August 26, has concluded. A decision in his case is expected imminently, according to an official update posted on the Supreme Court’s website.

The Supreme Judicial Council was reactivated on October 20 last year after a long hiatus, following the settlement of a constitutional review. A new three-member council has since been formed, headed by Chief Justice Dr. Syed Refaat Ahmed. The other members are Justice Md. Ashfaqul Islam and Justice Zubair Rahman Chowdhury, the two senior-most judges of the Appellate Division.

The resumption of the SJC’s activities marks a significant step toward judicial accountability, as the council examines allegations against judges referred during the post-transition review of the judiciary.