10 SC women judges spreading light in judiciary

Court Correspondent: Along with men, women are also ahead in all the affairs of the country. Women are moving forward, the country is moving forward. In today’s society, women are not confined to the circle of the past. Women are contributing equally in all fields including economy, education, agriculture. They are doing various jobs with men by showing their skills and discretion. Likewise, women judges are spreading light in the country’s highest court, the Supreme Court.
They are performing their duties prudently with their talent, competence and wisdom in the Appellate and High Court Divisions of the Supreme Court, the highest courts of the country. They are proud of their profession. (See Page-2)
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In the meantime, Justice Nazmun Ara Sultana, Justice Zeenat Ara and Justice Krishna Debnath have retired as judges of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court. In addition, seven women judges are performing their duties in the high court department with skill, competence and dedication.
They are Justice Salma Masood Chowdhury, Justice Farah Mahbub, Justice Naima Haider, Justice Kashefa Hossain, Justice Fatema Najib, Justice Kazi Zeenat Haque and Justice Fahmida Quader.
They had to overcome many difficulties and hurdles to reach the top level of the Supreme Court. But after winning everything, they are now a part of the history of the country and the judiciary.
Women are advancing in all areas of the country. Chief Law Officer (Attorney General) Abu Mohammad (AM) Amin Uddin told that since the present prime minister came to power, women have been marching everywhere from Speaker, Justice, Government Work Commission, Army, Police.
Nazmun Ara Sultana is the first woman judge in the history of Appellate Division of Supreme Court. She retired on July 8, 2017. After being sworn in as a judge of the Appellate Division, he told reporters, “The feeling is very good.” I got recognition for my work. I was appointed as the first woman judge. I came to the High Court as the first judge. This time I came as the first judge in the Appellate Division. I think my appointment will contribute to the empowerment of women in the country.
Retired Justice Nazmun Ara Sultana
Justice Nazmun Ara Sultana was born on July 8, 1950 in Moulvibazar. Father’s name is Late Chowdhury Abul Kashem Mainuddin. Mother’s name is Marhuma Begum Rashida Sultan Deen.
She spent his childhood in Gafargaon, Mymensingh. Later matriculated from Vidyamoyi Government High School, Mymensingh Sadar in 1965, passed IA from Muminunnessa Women’s College in 1967. She received his B.Sc degree from Anandamohan College in 1969. Then she took LLB degree in 1972 from Mymensingh Law College.
Before 1975, no women were allowed to work in the judiciary. Nazmun Ara Sultana was first appointed as Assistant Judge on 20 December 1975. She is the first woman judge of the country. From the lower court, she gradually stepped into the highest court of the country.
Nazmun Ara Sultana served as Munsef in Khulna, Narayanganj and Tangail. She was promoted as Sub-Judge in 1982 and worked in Tangail, Chandpur and Faridpur. After several rounds of promotion, she joined Brahmanbaria as District Judge in 1991. It is the first time that a woman has become a district judge. On 28 May 2000, she was appointed as an Additional Judge in the High Court. Two years later, she became a permanent judge of the High Court. Last on February 23, 2011, she took oath as the first woman judge of the Appellate Division.
She served as a judge in the case of Khaleda Zia’s house in the cantonment, the case of 10 judges dropped during the BNP period, the case of the caretaker government in the Appellate Division.
Besides, she was appointed member secretary of the International Women’s Lawyers Organization twice. She visited India, Nepal, Thailand, Italy, Japan, America, Iran, Iraq and England in various international conferences.
Retired Justice Zeenat Ara
Justice Zeenat Ara is the daughter of late HMR Siddiqui and late Begum Ayesha Siddiqui. She was born on 15 March 1953. She received his law degree from Dhaka University and School of Harvard University.
She started working as a Munsafe in the Judiciary Department on 3 November 1978. She was then promoted as District and Sessions Judge on 15 September 1995. Following this, she was appointed as an Additional Judge of the High Court on 27 April 2003. On April 27, 2005, she was appointed as a judge of the High Court. Appellate Division Judge was appointed on October 8, 2018. She later retired on 14 March 2020.
She did certificate courses from Harvard University Law School and Cambridge University. Besides, she visited Beijing, Shanghai, America, Argentina, Australia, Germany, India, Pakistan, Panama, Philippines, Taiwan, Sri Lanka and Thailand for international seminars and training.
She visited Belgium, Iraq, Kuwait, Malaysia, Netherlands, Jordan, Syria, Singapore and England for state needs.
Retired Justice Krishna Debnath
Village house of Dinesh Chandra Debnath in Pudda of Bajitpur Upazila of Kishoreganj. However, Krishna Debnath was born on October 10, 1955 in Rajbari Munsef Quarter, where his father worked. In 1970, she passed matriculation (secondary) in science department from Sylhet Girls School. Passed Higher Secondary from Rangpur Begum Rokeya College. She completed her Bachelors and Masters in Law from Rajshahi University. Later started legal profession in Rajshahi District Law Society. Then on December 8, 1981, Krishna Debnath was appointed as a Munsafe (Assistant Judge) in the Judicial Service. She was promoted as District Judge on 1 November 1998.
On January 10, 2010, she was appointed as District Judge of Dhaka. She is the first woman district judge of Dhaka district. Later on April 18, 2010, she was appointed as an additional judge of the High Court Division. After two years he settled. She then took oath as a judge of the Appellate Division on January 9 of the same year. Justice Krishna Debnath retired from the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on October 9, 2022.
Justice Salma Masud Chowdhury
Like the Appellate Division, women judges are not lagging behind in the High Court Division. High Court Judge Salma Masud Chowdhury is one of them. She is the eldest son of former Justice ATM Masud and Aminun Nesa. Salma Masud Chowdhury was born on 13 December 1957.
On August 22, 1981, Salma Masud Chowdhury joined the legal profession in Dhaka District Judge Court. On September 21, 1983, she became a lawyer of the High Court. On May 14, 1996, she was enrolled as a lawyer in the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.
On February 19, 2002, Salma Masud Chowdhury was appointed Additional Judge of High Court due to success. Two years later she was appointed as a permanent judge of the High Court.
Salma Masood Chowdhury undertook a Legislative Drafting course in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia organized by the Commonwealth Secretariat for Legal Practice. She presented her research paper entitled ‘Muslim Family Law and Women in Bangladesh’ at the International Women Lawyers Conference in Lahore, Pakistan.
Presented the report on ‘Drug Abuse and Remedial Measures in Bangladesh’ at the 23rd International Women’s Lawyers’ Conference in Brussels, Belgium. She also presented this report in Kenya.
After becoming a judge, she joined the conference of Islamic jurists in Kuala Lumpur, Indonesia, Jarkata, Indonesia and South Asia on the theme of ‘Islam and Women’. Besides, she attended the conference organized by International Women Judges Organization in Kathmandu and London. Currently, she is the trustee and executive secretary of Bangladesh Heart Foundation.

Justice Farah Mahbub
Justice Farah Mahbub was born on 27 May 1966. Her father’s name is Mahbubur Rahman. Mother’s name is Begum Feroza Begum. She passed LLB and LLM from Dhaka University.
In 1992, she started her legal career in the District Court. She joined the High Court on 15 October 1994 and the Appellate Division on 15 May 2002. On 23 August 2004, he was appointed as Additional Judge of the High Court. In 2006, she was appointed as a full judge in the High Court Division.
She attended an international conference in South Korea in 2010. She also visited India, Pakistan, Thailand, Malaysia, Dubai, Germany and Saudi Arabia.
Justice Naima Haider
Justice Naima Haider is the daughter of former Justice late Badrul Haider Chowdhury and Begum Anwara Chowdhury. She was born on 19 March 1962.
She studied Law from Dhaka University. Besides, she received higher degrees in law from Columbia University, Southern University, Oxford University, Berkeley University and London University.
She joined the legal profession in the District Court in 1989. She started working as a lawyer in the High Court in 1993 and as a lawyer in the Appellate Division in 2004.
She was appointed as an Additional Judge of the High Court on 6 June 2009. She was appointed as a full judge of the High Court on June 6, 2011.
She is currently serving as the Chairman of the Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee.
Naima Haider attended at least 20 international conferences at home and abroad. She also visited America, England, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, Austria, Poland, Turkey, China, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia, India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
Justice Fatema Najib
Fatema Najib, who graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from Dhaka University, joined the Judicial Service as a Munsef (Assistant Judge) on 12 November 1984. Then on September 26, 2011, she was promoted as District and Sessions Judge of Narsingdi.
Begum Fatema Najeeb was appointed as Additional Judge of High Court Division on 31 May 2018. She was appointed as a permanent judge on 8 June 2020.
Justice Kashefa Hossain
High Court Judge Kashefa Hossain,after completing her graduation and post-graduation in English from Dhaka University, she obtained his law degree from the same university. She also studied the same subject in London. Then in 1995 joined the legal profession in the district court.
Kashefa Hossain was enrolled as a lawyer in the High Court Division in 2003. In this continuation, she served as the law officer of the state as the Deputy Attorney General.
On August 4, 2013, she was appointed as an additional judge in the High Court Division. On August 5, 2015, she was appointed as a permanent judge of the High Court Division.
Justice Kazi Zeenat Haque Kazi Zeenat Haque Ekushey Medal Awarded Language Soldier Supreme Court Justice Kazi Ebadul Haque and Dhaka University Retired Teacher Ekushe Medal Awarded Professor Dr.Sharifa is the youngest daughter of Khatun. Graduated from Dhaka University with a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Law.After that she also did LLM from Cambridge University in England. She completed his Post Graduate Diploma in Law from South Bank University, London and Bar Vocational Course from Inns of Court School of Law, London with distinction.After that, Zeenat Haque was called as Barrister at Law from the Society of Middle Temple in London. On August 6, 1997, she was appointed to the legal profession as a lawyer of a subordinate court.On June 18, 2000, she was listed in the High Court.
Then on December 20, 2015, she got permission to practice as a lawyer in the Appellate Division. She served two terms as Deputy Attorney General and Assistant Attorney General.On October 21, 2019, Kazi Zeenat Haque was appointed as an Additional Judge of the High Court. Justice Kazi Zeenat Haque Baba has written a book on the important decisions of Supreme Court along with retired Justice Kazi Ebadul Haque.The book was published in 2019 by Haqqani Publishers.
Justice Fahmida Quader High Court Justice Fahmida Quader.Served as a judge in various courts of the country for 32 years.She passed SSC from Agrani Higher Secondary School, Dhaka in 1981 and HSC from Holy Cross College in 1983.LLB (Honours) degree from Dhaka University.She was an 11th batch student of law department. Joined Bangladesh Judicial Service as Assistant Judge (Probationer) on December 11, 1991.
She secured the third place in the examination for the appointment of a judge and proved his merit. She joined the Comilla court as a senior assistant judge in 1996 after five years of serving as an assistant judge.In 2003 she joined Chandpur as a Joint District Judge after receiving his second promotion.She was promoted as Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge in 2004.Served as Chief Judicial Magistrate of Sylhet in 2014.In 2015, she was promoted as a District Judge and served as a Divisional Special Judge.Then she was assigned as District and Sessions Judge of Sirajganj District in 2017.Served as District Judge and Sessions Judge of Tangail from July 2020 to July 31.
She was appointed as a High Court Judge on 31 July 2022 in recognition of her 32 years of judicial duties with integrity and efficiency. Under the power of Article 98 of the Constitution, President Md.Abdul Hamid appointed her.In addition to serving as a judge, she is serving as the vice president of Bangladesh Women Judges Association. Justice Fahmida Quader has represented Bangladesh in international meetings and seminars held in various countries including India, USA, Sri Lanka, Thailand.