DHAKA, Mar 08, 2025 (BSS)- Women’s participation is increasing in the judiciary and legal profession in Bangladesh with their strong presence in the Supreme Court, High Court, lower courts and in the teaching profession of law. 

 “Some 625 judges, out of total 2179 in the country's lower courts are women . . . When we first entered the judiciary; there were only three women judges. But now, around one-third of the judges in the lower courts are women,” retired Justice of the Appellate Division Krishna Debnath told BSS.

Terming the contribution of women to the judiciary as great, she said the women are also performing the duties of judges side by side accomplishing the duties of mothers. 

“It is a tremendous challenge, what our women are doing successfully,” she added.

Noting that every year women are showing success in the merit list of all judicial service examinations, she said Halimatus Sadia, a student of Barisal University stood first in the competitive service examination in the 2017-18 session.

At present there are 10 female judges in the High Court and 625 female judges in the country's lower courts.

Female judges of the High Court are- Justice Farah Mahbub, Justice Fatema Najib, Justice Kazi Zeenat Haque, Justice Fahmida Quader, Justice Mubina Asaf, Justice Nasrin Akhter, Justice Ainun Nahar Siddiqua, Justice Tamanna Rahman, and Justice Sathika Hossain.

Retired Justice Zinat Ara of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court is serving as the chairman of the Law Commission.

Embracing the popular aspirations of the July Revolution, the Interim Government formed several reform commissions to modernize various institutions, where women are also playing important role.

Among the notable personalities, member of the Constitutional Reform Commission and member of the Supreme Judicial Appointments Council Professor Dr Sumaiya Khair of Dhaka University (DU)’s law faculty and member of the Police Reform Commission Professor Dr Shahnaz Huda of DU law faculty. 

Besides, there is a separate association of women judges. The new committee of this association has recently been formed with Senior District Judge Syeda Hosne Ara Begum and member of the Administrative Appellate Tribunal as the president.

Meanwhile, Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge of Dhaka Farzana Yasmin has been elected as the secretary general of the judges association.

On February 28, a 35-member committee was formed at the 34th annual conference of the Bangladesh Women Judges Association.

Retired Justice Nazmun Ara Sultana of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court was present as the chief guest at the 34th conference of the association.

Retired Justice of the Appellate Division and current Chairman of the Law Commission Zeenat Ara, retired Justice of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court Krishna Debnath, and Justice of the High Court Division of the Supreme Court Farah Mahbub were present as special guests at the event.
 
Women are also shining in the posts of Deputy Attorney General and Assistant Attorney General in the country's High Court, handling cases for the state.

The Deputy Attorney Generals are: Sultana Akhter Ruby, Shamima Sultana Dipti, Mohsina Khatun, Mahbuba Akhter Jui, Salma Sultana, Nahid Hossen, Syeda Sazia Sharmin, Jamila Momtaz, Ainun Nahar, Shiuli Khanom, Rashida Alim Aishwi.

Supreme Court Advocate Barrister Nishat Mahmud told BSS that the number of women judges and law practitioners is gradually increasing. She termed it as a very promising progress in women's empowerment in Bangladesh.