Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique on Thursday said division among lawyers and its effect ultimately damage the court.
"When political division moves towards the court by crossing the boundary of the street, it does not bring any good for the judiciary. The judiciary feels comfortable if one practices his political ideology politically and keeps it at a safe distance from the court," he said, addressing his farewell function organized by the Attorney General's Office and the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA).
Justice Hasan Foez Siddique, the country's 23rd chief justice, would go into retirement on September 25, but as the Supreme Court will be on vacation at that time, Thursday was his final working day.
The Attorney General's Office and the SCBA organized the farewell function for him in Court Room Number 1 of the Appellate Division. Attorney General AM Amin Uddin and SCBA President Md Momtazuddin Fakir spoke on the judicial career of the outgoing chief justice.
Judges of both the divisions of the Supreme Court and a good number of lawyers attended the function, among others.
"It is the duty of the judges, lawyers and each and every responsible citizen of the state to protect the judiciary from all types of social, economic and political interference. If we fail to perform this duty, every citizen will have to count for the doomsday. If the people lose faith in the judiciary, the nation has to wait for the bad day," the chief justice said.
Terming the judiciary as the heart of the republic, Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique also said a strong and independent judiciary is essential for a strong democracy.
"I think my successor would face serious challenges and I also think that the almighty Allah would make him able to tackle those challenges and he would make this judiciary more dynamic. If the judiciary fails to apply the law impartially, both the state and its people will suffer for sure," he added.
Urging all to keep in mind the supreme sacrifices made in 1971 War of Liberation, the chief justice further said, "It is our national duty to take the country forward, adding, "The history will not forgive us if we fail."
"The judges should stay out of the political winds and conduct trials by applying their judicial minds. People have to have full faith in the freedom of the judiciary, otherwise, the rights of the country's people cannot be protected. All the judges should have outstanding moral character; otherwise the term 'independence of the judiciary' will remain just a saying in the constitution," he added.
The chief justice said he tried his best to make the judiciary disciplined and dynamic. "I tried my best to inspire judges to ensure quick justice to make Bangladesh a better place to live," he further said.
Hasan Foez Siddique became emotional while talking about the sacrifices made by his parents for him and other family members. In a choked voice, the outgoing chief justice said their support helped him immensely in his career.
Source: BSS