Commonwealth to support judicial independence in Bangladesh

08 May 2017
News

The Commonwealth, in conjunction with the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and the Commonwealth Magistrates’ and Judges’ Association, will conduct a seminar on judicial independence, ethics, and the protection of human rights.

The Commonwealth, in conjunction with the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and the Commonwealth Magistrates’ and Judges’ Association, will conduct a seminar on judicial independence, ethics, and the protection of human rights.

The course, from 7 to 9 May, will be attended by a group of 39 magistrates from the Supreme Court in Dhaka. The seminar will increase their understanding of what it means in practice to be an independent and impartial judge.

Several topics will be introduced and discussed during the seminar, which will use different scenarios relevant to the magistrates and the Supreme Court of Bangladesh. These topics include judicial conduct in court, disclosure and recusal, judicial corruption and favours, and Bangladeshi experiences of judicial activism in promoting and protecting human rights.

Mark Guthrie on Judicial Training

The topics and scenarios will focus specifically on the issues that confront judges in their daily practice and prepare the participants to uphold the high standards of a Supreme Court.

The Commonwealth is adding value by bringing judges from different jurisdictions together.  The conference will be opened in the presence of Mr Justice Muhammad Imman Ali of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh. It will also include several notable speeches and presenters, including Mr Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury, High Court of Bangladesh, Judge Ray Rinaudo, Chief Magistrate of Queensland in Australia, and District Judge Shamim Qureshi.  The Chief Justice of Bangladesh, Mr Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha will be the guest of honour at the closing.

Mark Guthrie, Legal Adviser at the Commonwealth’s headquarters, will also attend.  ‘This is a valuable opportunity for judges from different jurisdictions to share their knowledge and experience. Judicial independence is an intrinsic part of the rule of law which is one of the fundamental values of the Commonwealth,’ he stated.