Justice SM Moniruzzaman has been reinstated to judicial duties after remaining out of office for nearly 18 months ending a Supreme Judicial Council probe into the allegation of misconduct.

He was among 12 High Court judges who were sidelined following demands from protesters of the July–August 2024 mass uprising, which accused the judges of favouring the then Awami League government during its 15-year authoritarian rule.

According to the High Court division’s cause list published on the Supreme Court website on Thursday, Justice Moniruzzaman has been assigned to a division bench with Justice Dehider Kabir Masum.

The bench is scheduled for hearing cases from Sunday.

Following the mass uprising and the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, 2024, 12 High Court judges came under scrutiny by the chief justice and the Supreme Judicial Council.

Of them, 10 have been removed, resigned, or were not retained pending the council’s probes.

Justice Moniruzzaman is the first to return to judicial duties, while Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif remains under review.