Bangladesh Chief Justice, Surendra Kumar Sinha, yesterday criticised members of parliament for not having extensive debates on laws before they passed, causing defects in almost all the laws.
“As laws with defects are passed in parliament, nowadays these create people’s suffering and place pressure on the judiciary,” the chief justice said.
Speaking at the launching ceremony of two books written by Law Commission member Shah Alam at Dhaka University, Sinha said there is no discussion or debate on laws nowadays.
He also criticised frequent issuance of statutory regulatory orders instead of making laws through proper procedure as he thought they also create confusion and pressure on judges.
About the logjam of cases, the chief justice said that none is getting justice in the existing judicial system. “I know that second or third generation gets the judgment. Is it trial?”
He also admitted that there is a certain level of corruption in the judiciary as massive irregularities rule every nook and corner of the country these days.
“Whereas corruption has pervaded every part and sector of the country, the judiciary cannot be an isolated island,” he said.
Chief Justice Sinha said initiatives will be taken to introduce evening courts to deal with the escalating backlog of cases in 64 districts.
Speaking at a workshop on Friday, he said: “Only 1,600 judges in a country of 157mn people are “very inadequate”.
The top judge said around 3mn cases are pending in courts.
“Evening courts will be launched if (positive) responses come from lawyers and the government,” he said.