The chief justice, ABM Khairul Haque, on Friday questioned the integrity of subordinate judges accusing some district judges of taking bribes through court personnel.
‘The people are not satisfied with the activities and integrity of judges who are now in the dock of people’s court. There is a tremendous backlog of cases and justice is delayed…,’ he said at the conference of the district judges at the judges’ lounge at the Supreme Court.
Accusing the judges of taking money through court personnel, he said, ‘I have information that some district judges take money through ‘nazirs’ and there are specific allegations against many of you [district judges] present here.’
A total of 154 district judges and judicial officers of equivalent status attended the concluding session of the conference, which started on October 22.
The district judges drew the attention of the chief justice to the issues affecting their work, including salaries, perks and shortage of judges and courtrooms.
Justice Khairul Haque, who assumed the office of the chief justice on September 30, organised the conference to discuss the backlog of cases in the courts and the problems faced by the lower judiciary, and also to issue necessary directives to the judicial officers as it was not possible for him to visit all courts during his brief tenure. He will retire on May 19, 2011.
‘There are allegations that many district judges, when they are transferred, ask the court personnel to give them freezers instead of the Quran and walking sticks as farewell gifts,’ the chief justice said.
He asked the district judges to change such attitudes.
‘Do not take toll from nazirs,’ Justice Kahirul Haque asked the district judges.
He also asked them not to leave their stations on weekends to see the family.
Judges stationed outside Dhaka visit the city every weekend as families of many of them live in the capital which affects dispensation of justice, he observed.
‘Do not run after personal gains…Pay attention to dispensation of justice with an attitude of sacrifice…,’ he told the judges.
Justice Khairul Haque also asked the district judges to visit, at least once a week, all the courts subordinate to them and the record rooms as well.
He said he did not agree with those who insisted that getting bail was a fundamental right of an accused, Bail is not a fundamental right of an accused; what the judges should ensure is that a person’s right is not infringed by detaining him illegally.
Judges must be clear to their conscience while considering matters of bail or injunction, he said.
