High Court Division, Supreme Court of Bangladesh

The High Court Division, Supreme Court of Bangladesh (Bengali: হাইকোর্ট ডিভিশন), popularly known as High Court, is one of the two divisions of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, the other division being the Appellate Division. It consists of the Chief Justice of Bangladesh and the Judges of the High Court Division.^[1]

High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh
বাংলাদেশ সর্বোচ্চ আদালত এর উচ্চ আদালত বিভাগ
Supreme Court of Bangladesh Logo
23.730777°N 90.402458°E / 23.730777; 90.402458
Location	Ramna, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
Coordinates	23.730777°N 90.402458°E / 23.730777; 90.402458
Authorized by	Constitution of Bangladesh
Website	www.supremecourt.gov.bd
Chief Justice of Bangladesh
Currently	Syed Refaat Ahmed
Since	10 August 2024

The High Court Division exercises both original jurisdiction and appellate jurisdiction in civil and criminal matters. The prime jurisdiction of it is the Writ Jurisdiction, pursuant to which it is empowered under article 102 of the Constitution of Bangladesh to issue writ of certiorari, mandamus, quo warranto, prohibition and habeas corpus.^[1]

History

Dacca High Court (1947 - 1955)

Old High Court Building

The High Court of judicature for East Bengal commonly known as the Dacca High Court was established in 1947 under Pakistan (Provisional Constitutional) Order 1947 as a separate High Court with all Appellate, Civil and Original jurisdictions.^[2][3]

East Pakistan High Court (1955 - 1971)

In 1955 the Dacca High Court became the High Court of East Pakistan and the Supreme Court of Pakistan was established as the apex Court with the appellate jurisdiction to hear the decisions of the High Courts established in the East and West Pakistan.^[4]

Until 1967 the High Court was held in the building that now known as the Old High Court Building on Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, opposite the curzon hall, Dhaka. With the construction of a larger facility in the 1960s nearby that now houses the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and Attorney General's office, the High Court was shifted from Old House on 10 July 1967.

Chief Justices (1947 - 1971)

• Justice Abu Saleh Muhammad Akram (1947 - 1950)
• Justice Muhammad Shahabuddin (1950-1953)
• Justice Amiruddin Ahmad (1954-1956)
• Justice Amin Ahmed (1956 - 1959)
• Justice Mirza Ali Ispahani (1959-1962)
• Justice Imam Hossain Choudhury (1962-1964)
• Justice Syed Mahbub Murshed (1964-1967)
• Justice Badruddin Ahmed Siddiky (1967-1971)

Division of the Supreme Court (1971 - present)

In 1971 East Pakistan became the independent Republic of Bangladesh. On 9 January 1972, Bangladesh enacted the Supreme Court of Judicature Act to regularize the judicial system. The Act declared that the Supreme Court of Bangladesh consisted of the Appellate Division and the High Court Division. The High Court Division replaced the Dhaka High Court and Supreme Court of Pakistan was preceded by the Appellate Division.^[1]

Jurisdiction

Original Jurisdiction

The High Court Division can hear a case or suit as Court of first instance. The jurisdiction of the High Court is described in Article 101 of the Constitution of Bangladesh. The High Court Division will deal with original cases, appeals and other judicial functions. Also, under Article 102 of the Constitution of Bangladesh, writ petitions and company and army divisions have original jurisdiction in certain limited cases.^[5]

Appellate Jurisdiction

Any law may confer appellate jurisdiction on any matter. For example, CrPC and CPC have conferred on the HCD appellate jurisdiction.^[1]

Sitting Permanent Judges of the High Court Division

As of July 2022 the list of permanent judges are as follows:

1. Madame Justice Salma Masud Chowdhury
2. Justice Muhammad Abdul Hafiz
3. Justice Dr. Syed Refaat Ahmed
4. Justice A. K. M. Asaduzzaman
5. Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury
6. Justice Md. Emdadul Huq
7. Justice Md. Rais Uddin
8. Justice Md. Emdadul Haque Azad
9. Justice Md. Ataur Rahman Khan
10. Justice Syed Md. Ziaul Karim
11. Justice Md. Rezaul Haque
12. Justice Sheikh Abdul Awal
13. Justice S. M. Emdadul Hoque
14. Justice Mamnoon Rahman
15. Madame Justice Farah Mahbub
16. Madame Justice Naima Haydar
17. Justice Md. Rezaul Hasan
18. Justice A. N. M. Bashir Ullah
19. Justice Abdur Rob
20. Justice Dr. Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque
21. Justice A. K. M. Zahirul Hoque
22. Justice Sheikh Md. Zakir Hossain
23. Justice Md. Habibul Gani
24. Justice Gobinda Chandra Tagore
25. Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif
26. Justice J. B. M. Hassan
27. Justice Md. Ruhul Quddus^[6]
28. Justice Md. Khasruzzaman
29. Justice Farid Ahmed
30. Justice Md. Nazrul Islam Talukder
31. Justice M Akram Hossain Chowdhury^[7][8]
32. Justice M Ashraful Kamal
33. Justice K. M. Kamrul Kader^[9][10]
34. Justice Mohammad Mujibur Rahman Miah
35. Justice Mostofa Zaman Islam
36. Justice Mohammadullah
37. Justice Mohammad Khurshid Alam Sarker
38. Justice Shahidul Karim
39. Justice Mohammad Jahangir Hossain
40. Justice Abu Taher Mohammad Saifur Rahman
41. Justice Ashish Ranjan Daash^[11][12]
42. Justice Mahmudul Haque
43. Justice Badruzzaman Badol
44. Justice Zafar Ahmed
45. Justice Kazi Md. Ejarul Haque Akondo
46. Justice Md. Shahinur Islam^[13]
47. Madame Justice Kashefa Hussain
48. Justice S.M. Mozibur Rahman^[14]
49. Justice Khizir Ahmed Choudhury^[15]
50. Justice Razik Al-Jalil
51. Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty
52. Justice Md. Iqbal Kabir
53. Justice Md. Salim
54. Justice Md. Sohrowardi
55. Justice Md. Abu Ahmed Jamadar^[16][17]
56. Justice A. S. M. Abdul Mobin
57. Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman
58. Madam Justice Fatema Najib
59. Justice Md. Kamrul Hossain Molla
60. Justice S. M. Kuddus Zaman
61. Justice Md. Atowar Rahman
62. Justice Khizir Hayat
63. Justice Shashanka Shekhar Sarkar
64. Justice Mohammad Ali
65. Justice Mohi Uddin Shamim
66. Justice Md. Riaz Uddin Khan
67. Justice M Khairul Alam
68. Justice S. M. Moniruzzaman
69. Justice Ahmed Sohel
70. Justice Sardar Mohammad Rashed Jahangir
71. Justice Khondaker Diliruzzaman
72. Justice K. M. Hafizul Alam
73. Justice Muhammad Mahbub-Ul-Islam^[18]
74. Justice Shahed Nuruddin
75. Justice Md Zakir Hossain
76. Justice Md Akhtaruzzaman
77. Justice Md Mahmud Hasan Talukder
78. Justice Kazi Ebadoth Hossain
79. Justice K. M. Zahid Sarwar
80. Justice A. K. M. Zahirul Haque
81. Madam Justice Kazi Zinat Hoque

References

1. "Jurisdiction the Supreme Court". www.supremecourt.gov.bd. Archived from the original on 2024-08-05. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
2. "High Court". Banglapedia. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
3. Government of India Act 1935 as adapted by the Pakistan (Provisional Constitution) Order 1947, S. 219
4. High Court of West Pakistan (Establishment) Order, 1955 (G.G.O. XIX of 1955), Art. 3
5. "The Constitution of Bangladesh". bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd. Archived from the original on 2024-08-05.
6. "4 HC judges to be sworn in today". The Daily Star. 15 October 2012. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
7. "Jobs of 4 HC judges regularised". The Daily Star. 10 December 2012. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
8. "4 new Justices sworn in". banglanews24.com. Archived from the original on 17 January 2013. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
9. "News in Brief". The Daily Star. 8 October 2013. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
10. "HC judges sworn in". bdnews24.com. 7 October 2013. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
11. "5 addl HC judges sworn in". The Daily Star. 12 June 2014. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
12. "Justice Manik tasked with criminal cases". The Daily Star. 15 June 2012. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
13. "Newly appointed HC judges take oath". The Daily Star. 6 August 2013. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
14. "10 HC judges sworn in". The Daily Star. 13 February 2015. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
15. হাই কোর্টে স্থায়ী হলেন ৮ বিচারক. bdnews24.com (in Bengali). 8 February 2017.
16. "18 additional HC judges appointed". New Age. 31 May 2018.
17. "18 HC judges sworn in". The Daily Star. 30 May 2020.
18. "Nine new HC judges appointed". The Daily Star. 21 October 2019.