At least 50,000 law graduates have been suffering for a long due to the delay in holding enrolment tests conducted by the country's statutory body Bangladesh Bar Council causing misery to them as they need to wait two to three years for what should have been a yearly exam.
As per rules, the Bar Council has obligation to conduct an enrolment exam every six months, it's now taking two to three years as the exam is less frequent, lengthier and time-consuming.
The last enrolment exam of the council was held on February 28 this year after two years and seven months of the last tests. Whereas, the enrolment tests of the council were held twice a year before 2012. But, it took only three exams in the last six years.
In this situation, the law graduates have been wasting valuable time to build their careers in their profession and suffering from stigma of not getting graduation certificates.
Before 2011, the Bar Council committee had the authority to form the enrolment committee from its members as per the-then rules. Amending some provisions, the government issued a gazette in 2012 incorporating formulation of a five-member enrolment committee comprising an Appellate Division judge, two judges from the High Court Division and an elected member of the council and Attorney General as a member.
Most members of the committee are busy persons. They could not mange time to hold a meeting in time. That is why the enrolment tests cannot be held regularly, a staff of the Bar Council told this correspondent preferring anonymity.
During last two enrolment tests, the authority needed over one year to complete the MCQ, written and viva voce exams. In 2015, the MCQ exam started on April 24 while the final result was published on May 14 in 2016.
Later in 2017, the enrolment exam began on July 21 while final result was published on December 22 in 2018. It took one year and five months to complete the three-level tests. This year, the result of MCQ exam was published on February 29 while test was taken a day before. However, no one knows when the written test and viva voce exams will be held.
In this situation after the latest MCQ result, question has arisen among the law graduates about the Bar Council policy and failure to hold the tests on a regular basis. They, however, wanted to know when the next MCQ test will be taken.
According to the Bar Council statement, a total of 8,764 examinees have succeeded out of a total of 40,539 law graduates who appeared in the February 28 test. The law graduates have registered till October 3 last year after completion of their six months apprenticeship under senior lawyers. The rest 31,775 of the examinees failed to qualify.
Besides, more than 18,000 fresh law graduates completed their six months apprenticeship under senior lawyers with at least 10 year's practising experiences.
Without getting a licence from the Bar Council, none of the law graduates who successfully completed graduation from universities, will be considered a lawyer. To become a lawyer or start legal practice, it's mandatory to get a Bar Council certificate.
Criticising the failure of the council in a judgment given in 2017, an Appellate Division bench said that the Bar Council cannot discharge its responsibilities properly. It had directed the Bar Council to complete enrolment process of the applicants every calendar year.
Law graduates believe that their problems would be solved, if the enrolment exams are held every year and results published within the shortest possible time.
Md Aminul Islam, a graduate from the Green University who appeared twice in 2017 and 2020, said that he is worried about his future due to the delay in holding the enrolment exams. He doesn't know when the next MCQ exam will be held. "I am wasting valuable time and my family is also passing time in anxiety," he added.
After completing LLB in 2015, Syeda Amatul Hasiba has appeared in two exams in the last six years. She couls avail only two tests instead of six in that period of time as per the provision. Unfortunately failing to qualify in the two tests, she is now in anxiety over her future losing valuable six years.
"I want on time exam every calendar year," she added.
Another aspirant, Choya Siddique said, "Even after becoming a lawyer, I am unable to apply for the post of law officers in different corporations or banks. My father is still bearing my expenses in Dhaka and I have already become a burden to my family."
When contacted, Bar Council Vice-Chairman Yusuf Hussain Humayun told the Daily Observer that the successful candidates of the last MCQ tests held on February 28 will sit for their written test within three months.
When asked about the next MCQ test, he said it would be decided in the committee meeting.
