The backlog of cases in Bangladesh continues to grow unchecked, despite various initiatives by the government and the Supreme Court.
According to an analysis of Supreme Court data, the number of pending cases has risen to 4,742,000, up from 15.7 lakh when the judiciary was separated from the executive on 1 November 2007. Over the past year alone, an additional 225,000 cases have been added to the list.
Legal experts warn that unless immediate steps are taken, the situation could worsen significantly in the future. The mounting backlog is increasing hardship for litigants and raising concerns over delays in justice delivery.
Officials associated with the judiciary said the backlog is rising because the number of new cases filed continues to exceed the number of cases disposed of. A shortage of judges relative to the volume of cases is also slowing down case resolution.
Statistics from the Supreme Court show that as of 31 December last year, a total of 4,742,731 cases were pending nationwide. Of these, 4,041,924 cases were in subordinate courts, 41,551 in the Appellate Division, and 659,256 in the High Court Division.
By comparison, on 1 January last year, the total number of pending cases stood at 4,517,201. This included 3,896,430 cases in subordinate courts, 31,120 in the Appellate Division, and 589,651 in the High Court Division. Over the year, an additional 225,530 cases were added to the backlog, including 145,494 in subordinate courts, 10,431 in the Appellate Division, and 69,605 in the High Court Division.
Calls for increasing number of judges
There are currently 108 judges in the higher judiciary, including five in the Appellate Division and 103 in the High Court Division, while 2,341 judges are serving in subordinate courts. However, stakeholders считают these numbers insufficient.
A 352-page report submitted by the Judicial Reform Commission on 5 February made 32 recommendations, including measures to reduce case backlog. The commission, led by retired Appellate Division judge Shah Abu Nayeem Mominur Rahman, suggested appointing retired district judges on a contractual basis and increasing the number of subordinate court judges to at least 6,000.
Earlier, on 28 August 2023, the Law Commission also submitted a report identifying five key causes behind the backlog: an insufficient number of judges, lack of appointments in specialised courts, false and harassing cases, staff shortages, and weak infrastructure. It recommended gradually increasing the number of subordinate court judges to 5,000.
Experts urge urgent action
Supreme Court Bar Association President, senior lawyer Barrister M Mahbub Uddin Khokon, described the backlog as a major challenge for the judiciary, calling for coordinated efforts between the bench and the bar.
Public interest litigator and senior Supreme Court lawyer Manzill Murshid told to Bangladesh Pratidin, a comprehensive strategy is needed to address the two main causes of the backlog—uncontrolled case filings and slow disposal.
“Simply talking about reducing the backlog will not solve the problem,” he said, adding that the number of judges must be at least tripled and logistical support significantly enhanced. He also stressed the need for strong measures to reduce the inflow of new cases.
Bd-pratidin English/ ANI
