Steps taken to address shortage of judge, court: Anisul

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DHAKA, March 30, 2019 (BSS) – Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq said the present government has taken many effective
steps to address shortages of judges and courts to eliminate the backlog of cases.

“The present government from 2014 till now has appointed a total of 571
assistant judges at the lower courts. The 12th Bangladesh Judicial Service
(BJS) examination process is going on as part of this procedure. The final
result has been announced declaring 99 as selected after preliminary, written
and viva voce on February 22,” Anisul told BSS.

The law minister said the nominated candidates would be appointed after
completing medical examination and police verification. Law and Justice
Division already sent demand note to Bangladesh Judicial Service Commission
(BJSC) to appoint 100 more assistant judges.

“The numbers of judges are being increased under government’s special
initiative to increase dynamism in the trial work. We have accelerated
Judicial Service Commission to make quick appointment to fill the vacant
posts,” Anisul told BSS.

Anisul, who is also an eminent lawyer, said the government to quickly
dispose of women and children repression cases, has already formed 41 more
tribunals across the country, adding, with the new ones, the total number of
tribunals concerned now stands at 95.

“These tribunals are disposing cases lodged under Women and Children
Repression Prevention Act, 2000. Apart from these, seven anti-terrorism
special tribunals have already been formed, which are disposing of cases
lodged under Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009,” he added.

The law minister further said work is underway to form seven cyber
tribunals, 122 additional district and session judge courts, 159 joint-
district judge courts, 19 environment courts, six environment appellate
courts, posts of 364 judicial magistrates, senior judicial magistrates and
metropolitan magistrates.

The government in the meantime has already started work to construct
chief judicial magistrate building in 42 districts across the country. Of
these, construction work has already completed in 24 districts, where trial
is being held in the newly-constructed building.

“The work is underway to prepare Development Project Proposal (DPP) to
construct chief judicial magistrate building in the rest 22 districts. The
government has already expanded upwards the existing district judge court
buildings in 28 districts and preparing DPP to do the same in remaining 36
districts,” Anisul said.

The law minister revealed the huge plan to lessen the burden of pending
cases, which now stands at 35, 69,750 till December 31, 2018. Of the total
number of pending cases, civil cases are 14, 29, 861 and criminals cases are
20,48,067. Other remaining cases include contempt petitions and writ cases.