Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed on Thursday inaugurated the long-awaited Supreme Court (SC) Secretariat, describing the occasion as a historic institutional milestone for the country’s judiciary.

“Today, we are standing at a truly historic institutional moment. Everyone here has, in one way or another, contributed and partnered with this interim government, and collectively we have achieved this milestone,” the Chief Justice said.

He formally unveiled the secretariat by removing the ceremonial cloth from the cornerstone at the Supreme Court Administrative Building-4 at 3:20 PM.

The inauguration was attended by Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul, Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman, Supreme Court Bar Council President Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon and Bangladesh Bar Council Vice-Chairman Senior Advocate Zainul Abedin.

“Our journey does not end here. The most important step ahead is to ensure the continuity and effective functioning of this secretariat. The coming months and years will show how successfully we can achieve this,” Chief Justice Ahmed added.

He also highlighted the judiciary’s constitutional authority to oversee the justice system, while acknowledging the responsibility that comes with this newly consolidated institutional framework.

He urged all stakeholders, including future elected governments, to uphold the rule of law and advance democracy.

The separate Supreme Court Secretariat was first announced on 30 November, marking a significant step toward strengthening judicial independence.

The Supreme Court Secretariat Ordinance, 2025, was issued under the President’s directive by the Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry after final approval of the draft ordinance by the interim government on 20 November.

The initiative followed a proposal submitted by the Chief Justice on 27 October 2024, highlighting the need for a distinct secretariat under Article 109 of the Constitution to effectively supervise subordinate courts and tribunals. The proposal included a draft ordinance, the secretariat’s organogram, Rules of Business and a business allocation framework.