Dhaka, Aug 28 — The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC) on Thursday voiced strong disappointment over the absence of minority representation in the latest High Court appointments.
A total of 25 individuals were recently appointed as Additional Judges to the High Court Division of the Supreme Court, including nine judicial officers, nine lawyers, and seven law officers. However, none of the appointees belong to religious or ethnic minority communities, despite minorities constituting about 10 per cent of the country’s population.
“The complete absence of minority representatives in these appointments is extremely regrettable,” the BHBCUC said in a statement. Its leaders — President Nim Chandra Bhowmik, Executive President Ushatan Talukder, Senior Vice-President Nirmal Rozario, and Acting General Secretary Monindra Kumar Nath — expressed “grave concern and outrage” over the matter.
According to local media, Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin, in consultation with Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, approved the appointments, which raised the total number of High Court judges to 113. The newly-appointed judges were sworn in on Tuesday.
Among the appointees is Deputy Attorney General Lutfur Rahman, father-in-law of National Citizen Party’s Chief Coordinator (North) Sarjis Alam. Rahman, previously elevated after last year’s July demonstrations, has now been appointed as an additional judge, reported Prothom Alo.
The development comes against the backdrop of political tensions. The ruling Awami League last month accused the Muhammad Yunus–led interim government of “weaponizing” the judiciary and enabling “mob rule” inside courts. The party alleged that Yunus-backed groups attacked lawyers and denied fair trial rights to detainees, eroding judicial independence.
Since Sheikh Hasina’s ouster, several judges and lawyers associated with her government have been arrested on what critics describe as fabricated charges. Observers view the latest appointments as a move to consolidate the interim regime’s influence over the judiciary.
