Lawyers exempted from wearing black gowns in SC amid heatwave

The Supreme Court earlier also relaxed the mandatory wearing of coat and gown in the lower courts

FE Team | Published: April 30, 2024 18:35:51

The Supreme Court has relaxed the requirement for lawyers in the Appellate and High Court divisions to wear black coats and gowns amid the sizzling hot weather, reports bdnews24.com.
Starting from Sunday, this decision on black robes will remain effective until further instructions are issued by the country's highest court.
On Saturday, a notification signed by the Registrar General of the Supreme Court, Md Golam Rabbani stated, "Due to the ongoing severe heatwave across the country, following discussions with the chief justice and the senior justices of the Supreme Court, it has been decided to relax the compulsory wearing of gowns by lawyers during court hearings in both divisions of the Supreme Court."
For the same reason, on Apr 5, the Supreme Court administration also relaxed the mandatory wearing of coats and gowns in the lower courts. This decision will remain in effect until further notice.
Following the death of a listed lawyer in 2021, there was significant agitation among lawyers concerning the mandatory dress code.
Two days after the death of a lawyer in Dhaka due to heatstroke on May 11 last year, lawyers were relieved from the 'torment' of wearing black coats and gowns.
On May 13, Registrar General Rabbani lifted the obligation to wear the advocates' gown, announcing in a notification that all judges and lawyers in the country's courts would wear white full-sleeve shirts with white neck bands and black ties.
Female lawyers will wear white sarees or salwar kameez to court.
Black is recognised as the symbol of the legal profession worldwide. The tradition of wearing black robes and winged collars originated in England. This dress code spread to the British colonies along with their legal practices.
The capital Dhaka and most parts of Bangladesh have been sizzling in a mild to severe heatwave for several days, forcing the government to announce the closure of schools and colleges across the country for seven days starting Sunday.