BANGLADESH

AT A GLANCE
Official Name: People's Republic of Bangladesh
Chief of State: President Zillur Rahman
Next election: 2014
Capital: Dhaka
Population: 162 million (UN, 2009)
Independence: 1971 from Pakistan
Human Development Index: 146 of 182 countries (UN, 2009)
Gender Gap Index: 93 of 134 countries (World Economic Forum, 2009)
Gross National Income per capita: US$590 (World Bank, 2009)

Building an Independent and Credible Judiciary

Status: Complete, 2008
Local Organization: Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Honourable Law Advisor's Office and Law and Justice Wing
Canadian Expert: Suzanne Labbé, Canada’s Courts Administration Services

The Government of Bangladesh recently issued a set of rules, as well as promulgated amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code as first steps in establishing an independent judicial system. The Government of Bangladesh’s Separation Plan will adopt specific measures towards considerably enhancing the judiciary’s capacity to deliver justice. The CIDA-funded Deployment for Democratic Development was asked to support the Government of Bangladesh and the Supreme Court in building an independent, credible, and fairer judiciary in Bangladesh.

Canadian expert Suzanne Labbé, of Canada’s Courts Administration Services, participated in a Needs Assessment Mission to Bangladesh led by the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) to identify the needs of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh to ensure greater separation of the judiciary from the executive power. She indicated in her report that in the course of her meetings with officials from both the private and public sector, she had been informed that Canada’s presence in the legal reform initiatives in Bangladesh had been well received and should be continued. She recommended Canada continue its efforts in areas where changes were long overdue and expectations very high and suggested assisting the Judicial Pay Commission in its review of judges’ salaries and benefits.