Bangladesh - January 2025

On 21 January, the interim government published the ‘Supreme Court Judge Appointment Ordinance, 2025’ in the Gazette, establishing an independent council led by the Chief Justice to appoint judges to higher courts. Previously, the executive held significant control over judicial appointments, which led to widespread criticism for producing a politicized judiciary. The seven-member council will now include members from the Appellate Division, the High Court and the Attorney General. Law Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul stated in a press briefing that further initiatives are underway to strengthen judicial independence, including creating a separate judicial secretariat for the Supreme Court and a permanent Attorney Service, aimed at reducing executive influence and addressing past political interference in judicial appointments.

Update: Following the February 2026 election, the draft ordinance lapsed after not being approved by parliament within the constitutional timeframe. As of April 2026, the government has said it will redraft and reintroduce the measures after consultation, but no timeline has been set, while legal experts have criticized the lapse as weakening safeguards of judicial independence.

Sources: Dhaka Tribune, BD News, Supreme Court of Bangladesh, International IDEA, Consitutionnet