Two benches formed in Appellate Division, trial to start on Apr 20

There are currently seven judges in the Appellate Division including the chief justice

After a long interval, two new benches have been formed in the Appellate Division.

Trials of pending cases in these benches will begin on Apr 20 [Sunday], as listed in the division’s daily schedule.

Supreme Court spokesperson Shafiqul Islam said Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed formed these benches on Apr 17 to hear and dispose of pending cases in the Appellate Division.

Bangladesh Bar Council Executive Committee Chairman Ruhul Quddus Kazal has said the formation of two benches in the Appellate Division will be helpful in reducing the backlog of pending cases.

The High Court is set to reopen on Sunday after a month-long vacation. Ahead of the reopening, the chief justice reconstituted 48 benches in the High Court Division.

Of the two newly formed benches, the chief justice will lead bench number one.

He is to be accompanied by Senior Justices Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, Md Rezaul Haque, and Farah Mahbub.

However, since the chief justice usually does not participate in the trial on Sundays and Mondays, the first bench will be led by Senior Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury.

The second bench, headed by Senior Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam, will include Justices SM Emdadul Hoque and AKM Asaduzzaman.

Currently, there are seven judges in the Appellate Division, including the chief justice.

Among them, two newly-joined judges Asaduzzaman and Farah Mahbub will conduct the trial on the first working day after the High Court reopens after the vacation.

Their oath-taking was held the day after the appointment order was issued on Apr 3.