Deputy Commissioners (DC) from across the country demanded that their magistracy power be given back, including the authority to hold summary trials, which they lost when the judiciary was separated from the executive in November 2007.
The DCs have, to this end, sent their demands in writing to the cabinet division so that those can be discussed at the next DCs’ conference scheduled to be held on July 23-25 in the capital. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to inaugurate the last DCs’ conference of her present tenure.
Following the separation of judiciary, executive magistrates lost their magistracy power, though the government later gave them back limited trial power in mobile courts.
The government was compelled to do so through an amendment to the relevant act in the face of shortages of judicial magistrates to operate the mobile courts.
The DCs in their written proposals said after the separation of judiciary they had been facing “trouble” to discharge their duties due to lack of magistracy power.
In most cases, people are not complying with their orders and which is why they need the magistracy power to execute government orders, they said.
The DCs also demanded risk allowances and rationing similar to that of the police department for the divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners and upazila nirbahi officers (UNO) who are to do field-level administrative works.
The written proposals include at least 100 suggestions requesting the cabinet division to place them in the conference. The cabinet division officials would place them in the form of a booklet in the conference, said a cabinet division official.
The DCs proposed that they should have also the power of transferring the cases following the petition of the accused, holding up the warrant offer and summary trial.
The DCs in their written recommendations said they were not against the separation of the judiciary but the power they are entrusted with to operate mobile courts was inadequate.
The police officials too do not follow the instructions of the district administration as the DCs have no executive magistracy power, they said.
They also suggested preparing rules of appointment for public prosecutors and increase the registration fees of hotels and restaurants.