Judicial Administration Training Institute

Judicial Administration Training Institute constituted under the provisions of the Judicial Administration Training Institute Act 1995 as amended in 1997 with a view to train judicial officers, government advocates, public prosecutors, advocates enrolled by the Bangladesh Bar Council, officers and staff of the subordinate judiciary and tribunals, to enhance their efficiency in the administration of justice in the country. The institute is headed by a Director General appointed by the government from amongst the persons who is or had been or is qualified to be appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court as a whole time chief executive officer of the institute. The institute is managed by a Board of Management constituted with the Chief Justice of Bangladesh as ex-officio chairman; two sitting or retired judges of the Supreme Court nominated by the Chief Justice, senior amongst' whom shall be its vice chairman; Attorney General for Bangladesh; secretary of the Ministry of' Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs; secretary of the Ministry of Establishment; secretary, Ministry of Finance (Finance Division); president, Supreme Court Bar Association; district and sessions judge, Dhaka; Dean of Faculty of Law, Dhaka University; vice chairman, Bangladesh Bar Council; Rector, Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre (PATC); Registrar, Bangladesh Supreme Court, and Director (administration) of the institute and the Director General of the institute as its members. The Director (administration) of the institute is also to act as secretary of the board. Minister or Minister of State in charge of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs shall be the advisor of the Board, and in that capacity he may remain present in any meeting of the board and advise on any matter with a view to implement the object of the Act. Though there is provision for appointment of requisite number of officers and staff by the institute and to formulate regulations regarding the term and conditions of their service by the Institute most of the officers are at present working on lien from amongst the judicial officers to manage the affairs of the institute under the direct control of the Director General.

Training courses of the institute are designed and conducted according to the requirements of judicial officers, government law officers and court support staff. Training is imparted by the sitting and retired judges of the Supreme Court, senior and experienced judicial officers and experts in other connected fields. Since advocates enrolled by the Bangladesh Bar Council are given training by the Legal Education Training Institute before their enrolment, the Judicial Administration Training Institute has not yet arranged any programme for their separate training. Newly appointed assistant judges are given basic training for a period of four to six weeks on substantive and procedural laws to make them equipped with the knowledge for presiding over the courts and to administer justice, in addition to their training under the Assistant Judges Training and Probation Rules 1979.

In addition to the basic training, under the continuing education programme, newly promoted judges to the higher ranks are given training on the subject they are to face in the administration of justice in their new offices such as disposing of session cases and appeals by the joint district and additional district judges. Such courses extend for a period of two to three weeks. Moreover refresher training course are conducted for a short period of one to two weeks for sitting judges of all tiers to keep them acquainted with the latest development of law and judicial decisions.

After the separation of judiciary since 1 November 2007 assistant judges are trained on the technique of functioning as judicial magistrates. In addition to organizing and imparting training to the judicial officers, government pleaders entrusted with conducting civil cases, and public prosecutors entrusted with conducting criminal cases on behalf of the government, court support staff such as bench assistants, sheresta assistants, record keepers, stenographers, sherestadars and nazirs are given training in conducting cases and /or case management for improving quality of justice delivery. Judicial Administration Training Institute also organizes and gives training in information technology including computer literacy. Training is given to improve quality of order and judgment writing after evaluating the records of cases dealt with by the judicial officers in course of functioning as presiding officers of courts. Training is imparted in groups of thirty trainees, and till date training has been given to 297 newly appointed assistant judges, 236 judicial magistrates, 1790 service judges, 315 government law officers and 511 court support staff. [Kazi Ebadul Hoque]