The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council has criticized the absence of minority representation in the latest judicial appointments. With 25 new judges appointed to the High Court, none belong to religious or ethnic minorities, raising concerns about inclusivity, politicization of the judiciary, and democratic accountability in Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC) has voiced strong disappointment over the complete absence of minority representation in the country’s latest judicial appointments. The criticism follows the appointment of 25 new Additional Judges to the High Court Division of the Supreme Court, announced earlier this week.
According to official reports, the newly appointed judges include nine judicial officers, nine lawyers, and seven law officers. However, none of them belong to religious or ethnic minority communities, which make up nearly 10 percent of Bangladesh’s population.
In a statement released on Thursday, the BHBCUC called the exclusion of minorities “extremely regrettable” and a matter of “grave concern.”
“The complete absence of individuals from religious and ethnic minority communities in these appointments is extremely regrettable. It is particularly concerning because, although minorities constitute about 10 per cent of the country’s population, not a single person from these communities is included among the 25 newly appointed judges,” the statement read.
The statement was jointly signed by BHBCUC President Nim Chandra Bhowmik, Executive President Ushatan Talukder, Senior Vice-President Nirmal Rozario, and Acting General Secretary Monindra Kumar Nath, all of whom urged the government to ensure inclusivity and fairness in future judicial selections.
Appointments Amid Political Turmoil
Local media reported that the appointments were made by Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin, in consultation with Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, late Monday night. The move increased the number of judges in the High Court Division to 113.
On Tuesday, Chief Justice Ahmed administered the oath to the newly appointed judges in Dhaka. Among the appointees is Deputy Attorney General Lutfur Rahman, father-in-law of National Citizen Party’s Chief Coordinator (North) Sarjis Alam. Rahman, who previously served as a Supreme Court lawyer, was elevated to Deputy Attorney General following the mass demonstrations of July last year, according to leading Bengali daily Prothom Alo.
Concerns of Politicization of Judiciary
The latest appointments come at a time when Bangladesh’s judiciary is under heightened scrutiny amid political unrest. Last month, the Awami League, the country’s largest political party, issued a strong condemnation of what it described as the “weaponization” of the judiciary under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government.
The Awami League accused the current regime of using courts as tools of political persecution.
“Judges are now dictated by Yunus-backed mobs inside the court. To deny legal rights of arbitrarily detained victims, the regime sponsored attacks on lawyers who seek to provide legal services, eroding fairness and transparency from the judiciary. These series of state-sponsored repression and impunity for the attackers clearly testified that the judiciary has fallen to mob rule,” the party said in a statement.
Since the ouster of the democratically elected government led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, several judges and lawyers who had served during her tenure were reportedly detained on fabricated charges. Experts argue that the latest round of judicial appointments further reflects an attempt by the interim government to consolidate political control through the judiciary.
Exclusion Deepens Minority Concerns
Bangladesh’s religious and ethnic minorities—Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians—have long raised concerns about their lack of proportional representation in public institutions. Rights groups note that this absence is particularly visible in high-ranking state positions, such as the judiciary, bureaucracy, and law enforcement.
Observers fear that the exclusion of minority judges in the latest appointments will further alienate minority groups and deepen mistrust in the legal system.
Prominent minority leaders argue that inclusive representation is essential not only for upholding democratic values but also for ensuring that justice is perceived as fair and impartial across communities.
The BHBCUC leaders emphasized that if minorities remain systematically excluded, it undermines Bangladesh’s constitutional principles of equality, justice, and non-discrimination. They urged the government and judiciary to urgently address this imbalance, warning that continued exclusion could fuel a deeper sense of marginalization among minorities.
A Test for Bangladesh’s Judiciary
The new judicial appointments have brought to light two pressing issues in Bangladesh: the ongoing political struggle that threatens judicial independence, and the persistent underrepresentation of minorities in national institutions.
For the interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, these criticisms pose a serious challenge. On one hand, the government is battling accusations of political manipulation of the judiciary; on the other, it faces renewed scrutiny over inclusivity and fairness in its appointment process.
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As Bangladesh’s judiciary undergoes this transformation, legal experts warn that the system must prioritize inclusivity, meritocracy, and independence if it hopes to regain public trust. For now, the absence of minority representation in the latest appointments continues to cast a shadow over both the credibility of the judiciary and the broader democratic fabric of the country.
