Govt for High Court benches in Sylhet and Chittagong, says Chief Justice Sinha

The government is interested in setting up High Court benches in Sylhet and Chittagong, Chief Justice SK Sinha has said.

"Both me and the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina are interested about this. But some justices’ posts are still vacant. We are in the process to fill them up," he said at an annual dinner of the Sylhet District Bar Association on Thursday.

"After that, High Court benches will be set up in Sylhet and Chittagong. People of this region will greatly benefit from these benches."

Last year, Law Minister Anisul Huq said that it was the chief justice, not the government, who had the jurisdiction to decide whether High Court benches would be set up outside Dhaka.

During the regime of military ruler HM Ershad, the Constitution was amended to set up permanent High Court benches outside the capital.

Lawyers rallied against the decision and the Supreme Court later declared the amendment illegal.

The Constitution allows setting up of temporary benches outside the capital but a government proposal to establish one in Chittagong was earlier rejected after it was sent to the Supreme Court.

Chief Justice SK Sinha urged all law practitioners to serve the people, particularly the poverty-stricken ones.