Ashutosh Sarkar

More than a decade after the formulation of the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention) Act, 2013, justice remains out of reach for the families of many victims of alleged custodial torture and deaths, with investigations stalled and court proceedings delayed.

Although a dedicated High Court bench was constituted 52 days ago exclusively to hear and dispose of death references and appeals in cases involving crimes against women and children, it has yet to begin hearing the widely discussed Ramisa Akter rape and murder case.

The government has appealed to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court to overturn two High Court directives barring permanent infrastructure development in the Mazar area of Bogura’s Mahasthangarh, the 2,500-year-old archaeological site on Unesco’s World Heritage Tentative List.

Despite constitutional provision and a specific law to establish the Office of Ombudsman for investigating the actions of any ministry and statutory public authority or officer, successive governments have not created this institution even 54 years after the country’s independence.

Trial courts conclude sensational cases within months, but appeals remain pending for years

The process for appointing 20 new High Court judges has been halted following the repeal of the Supreme Court Judges Appointment Ordinance, even though the court, now with only 101 judges, is struggling with a backlog of 6.6 lakh pending cases.

Most reform proposals remain ignored, only eight accepted in three decades

Discrimination and structural barriers continue to restrict professional growth