Allegations of serious irregularities and procedural violations have emerged surrounding the upcoming election of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) for the 2026–27 term, raising concerns within Bangladesh’s legal community about transparency and fairness.
In a press statement issued on April 29 in front of the Supreme Court premises, a group of lawyers accused the election management committee of conducting what they described as an “unconstitutional, irregular, biased, and questionable” election process.
The SCBA election is scheduled to be held on May 13 and 14, 2026. However, the controversy appears to have intensified following a special general meeting held on April 26, where several key decisions regarding candidate nominations were made.
According to the statement, the election committee canceled the nominations of a number of candidates based on alleged political affiliations, particularly those linked to the Awami League and its affiliated organizations. The lawyers claimed that such decisions were taken without following established legal procedures and in violation of the Bar’s constitution.
The complainants further alleged that the General Secretary announced candidate lists without conducting the standard scrutiny process, commonly known as “verification and review.” They argued that the constitution of the Bar does not authorize unilateral decisions of this nature and requires due process in evaluating nominations.
More than 40 candidates were reportedly affected by these decisions. According to the statement, many of these candidates had submitted valid nomination papers under the rules but were either excluded or not formally recognized. In some cases, candidates allegedly withdrew from the race due to confusion and uncertainty surrounding the validity of their nominations.
The lawyers also raised concerns about the conduct of the April 26 general meeting itself. They stated that the meeting lasted only around 11 minutes, after which critical decisions were finalized. Such a brief session, they argued, raises serious questions about whether proper deliberation or democratic discussion took place.
The statement emphasized that the Supreme Court Bar Association, with its 77-year history, has long upheld traditions of participatory, transparent, and inclusive elections. The current পরিস্থিতি, they warned, threatens to undermine those traditions and erode confidence in the institution.
The aggrieved lawyers have called for immediate corrective measures. They demanded a review of the decisions taken during the special general meeting and urged the election management committee to restore a fair and inclusive nomination process. They stressed that all eligible candidates should be given the opportunity to contest the election.
They further called for a transparent re-evaluation of the nomination process in accordance with the Bar’s constitution and established legal norms, warning that failure to do so could damage the credibility of the election and the institution as a whole.
As of now, there has been no official response from the election management committee regarding these allegations. The situation continues to develop as the legal community closely monitors the process ahead of the scheduled election.