Editorial
High hopes pinned on independent judiciary
Let these be realised
Ending all conjectures concerning smooth transition, the judiciary has finally been made an independent organ from November 1. This is undoubtedly a milestone that has been achieved to advance and ensure greater judicial independence and thereby establish rule of law in the country. By all means, this is a historic beginning of an arduous task and it has to be further accomplished to perfection by the future governments.
There is no denying that many of the tribulations that made good governance a far cry in Bangladesh were rooted in the fact that the executive branch exerted its influence over the judiciary as per the diktat of the power that be. The political power of the day found it too easy to influence the executive branch to carry out its narrow, partisan agenda. And things took a turn for the worse in the last five years when the judiciary was openly interfered with by the immediate past government. They had dragged their feet on the question of separation of the judiciary.
We recall that the caretaker government had promised the nation independence of judiciary as per a High Court order. It was a Herculean task to pull off, if we take the short tenure of the government into consideration. Notwithstanding the administrative and logistic shortcomings the government remained steadfast in its endeavour and finally made it happen as per the deadline of November 1. Understandably, the independent judiciary would have to cross a teething phase on the way to becoming an effective organ that would provide the justice seeking people protection and legal service. Qualified judges, trained work staff and logistics are to be made available to the system to make it fully functional.
While inaugurating the Dhaka District Judicial Magistracy and Dhaka Metropolitan Magistracy the chief adviser of the caretaker government has echoed the nation's concern that mere separation was not enough to ensure justice; it has to be complemented by reforms in the police, courts and the legal profession. In this connection we would like to point out that independent judiciary has now to shoulder more responsibility than before. It will have to ensure that the process of appointment of judges has no flaws and the appointed judges work with greater integrity. Common people must have easy access to the legal system and get legal help timely and at minimum cost, as said by the chief justice.
Judiciary is the last resort of the suffering people, therefore, it must live up to its newly acquired status. We wish the independent judiciary to make its presence felt and meet the expectations of the people that are amply reflected in the jubilant mood they have greeted the separation of judiciary.
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