Chief justice Obaidul Hassan, at an international conference in Dhaka on Saturday, said that the judiciary ensured the continued protection of people鈥檚 fundamental rights and interests.
The Supreme Court of Bangladesh organised the 鈥業nternational Conference on Judiciary Across the Borders: 21st Century Challenges and Experiences from the Himalayas and Beyond鈥�, where former Chief Justice of Nepal Bishowambhar Pd Srestha was the chief guest, and Bhutan鈥檚 High Court Judge Lobzang Rinzin Yargay participated as a special guest.
Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and law minister Anisul Haq also spoke at the conference, held in the Supreme Court鈥檚 auditorium.
Obaidul Hassan said that the judiciary had proven its adaptability and commitment to human rights and constitutional principles in the face of 21st-century challenges.
鈥楾he apex court of Bangladesh has successfully set a precedent for extending constitutional protection beyond traditional state actors,鈥� he added.
The chief justice praised Bhutan for introducing people鈥檚 courts to face 21st-century challenges. He highlighted the concept of the people鈥檚 judiciary as an institution, dedicated to safeguarding the rights and fundamental needs of all citizens, including minorities, on an equal basis without discrimination, as enshrined in the constitution.
Citing the achievements of the judiciary in India, Japan, and Australia through the introduction of electronic judiciary systems, Justice Obaidul Hassan underscored the need for implementing a large-scale electronic judiciary system to reduce backlog cases, improve access to justice, and shorten case durations.
He mentioned that India introduced electronic judiciary systems in 2005, equipping 8,000 courts with computers.
With the significant burden of 40 lakh pending cases in Bangladeshi courts, Obaidul Hassan emphasised the focus on utilising ground-breaking innovative technology in case management systems to address the increasing complexity of disputes in the digital age.
He noted that electronic judiciary systems were operated in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 pandemic, stating that it was just the beginning.
He also advocated for the use of Artificial Intelligence in the judiciary, as several countries had advanced AI systems.
He said that AI could quickly provide legal precedents and patterns to help judges make more informed decisions on bail and sentencing.
However, he stressed that the final authority of delivering decisions must come from human beings, not from machine-based systems.
