Judicial activities of Chandpur District and Sessions Judges’ Court and Chief Judicial Magistrate Court are being hampered to a great extent due to the shortage of judges and inadequate infrastructure.
This has hindered access to justice and caused a huge backlog of cases for the district residents, especially the poor. Many people have been waiting for years to get their cases settled.
According to court sources, there are at least 14 thousand cases pending at the district and session judges’ court, 10 thousand at the chief judicial magistrate court and 1500 cases at the Nari o Shishu. Nirjaton Domon Tribunal.
Chandpur was announced a district in 1984 and the district court was established during the British period. Since then there has not been any major development in the infrastructure of the system. Space constraint, mostly for court rooms, is a major deterrent to an effective judiciary.
Compared to the requirement of 22 judges, there are now 14 judges serving at the district and session court and the court of chief judicial magistrate. Moreover, additional district judge and chief judicial magistrate were recently transferred after promotion.
But no one has been appointed in those posts yet leading to the increase of case backlog.
The post of Joint District Judge – 1 has been vacant for about two years now. And the number of cases at this court is now almost 7000.
Abdul Gani of Shahrasti upazila said: “I have been fighting a case since 2001. But even after all these years, I am yet to get a verdict. I am an innocent man. I pull a rickshaw to earn my livelihood. It has become very difficult for me to bear the legal expense for such a long time. I am getting tired of it.”
Another applicant Anwar Hossain of Sadar upazila said his case was almost settled and now he was waiting for the verdict. “But its been more than a month and I am yet to get the verdict. It’s ironical because this was supposed to be a speedy trial tribunal.”
He added that many courts did not have judges. And most of the times the judges are not present in the Hajiganj or Kochua courts.
Kabir Hossain Pradhania of Hajiganj shared his experience: “The court gives dates one after another. But there is never a judge on that date. This has been going on for the last six months. This is draining my money as well as my energy. I am really worried.”
The lawyers, however, said despite their utmost efforts and will, delivering cases has been stuck due to shortage of judges, court rooms, witness problem, transfer of employees and other legal complications.
Prosecutor of Chandpur court Md Ruhul Amin Sarkar said: “We have already urged the government to construct a building for the chief judicial magistrate and expand the district court building. The government has allotted a land for the building of chief judicial magistrate. But the construction work could not begin due to funding problem. Also, efforts are also made to finish the construction work of the second floor of the district court.”
Asked the about the judges’ shortage, Md Ruhul Amin said the issue was a temporary one. “We have written to the government to fill up the empty posts. Also, creation of new courts, such as the land survey court, has added to the misery.”
Meanwhile, parliament member of Chandpur – 2 constituency and Minister of Disaster Management and Relief, Mofazzel Hossain Chowdhury Maya, has assured of resolving all the crisis facing the judiciary of the district.
At the meeting with the newly elected executive members of the Chandpur District Bar Association, Maya said he was unaware of the situation.
“Now that I know, I will try my best to resolve them as soon as possible. I will request the law minister to visit Chandpur, if needed. Also, I will try to set up an appointment with the Prime Minister for the new bar council body.”
