Space deficit mustn’t drive case backlogs

We are concerned that the shortage of dedicated courtrooms for lower court judges is largely driving case backlogs and, at times, impacting the quality of justice. According to a report in this daily, nearly one in four lower court judges in Bangladesh shares a single courtroom with colleagues; across 40 districts, 482 judges continue to rotate in shifts through 241 courtrooms. The Supreme Court Registrar General has stated plainly that infrastructure deficiency is “a severe obstacle to improving judicial performance.”

This system, which began after the abolition of upazila courts in 1991, reveals internal mismanagement within our judiciary. Since 2008, the number of judges serving in lower courts has nearly doubled, but the infrastructure to house them has not kept pace. As a result, lower court judges often allot themselves three to four hours of courtroom time daily, rushing through bail petitions and witness statements in compressed windows. This is despite the fact that official operating court hours extend from 9:30am to 4:30pm.

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Meanwhile, lawyers are forced to avoid lengthy cross-examinations, hearings get adjourned and cases don’t progress. Witnesses travel long distances only to be waiting for hours. This also impacts the jobs of court staff, who live in constant anxiety that documents will be lost or misplaced as case records scatter across multiple unused spaces. Judges report immense psychological strain, knowing their case disposal numbers will be evaluated against those of colleagues who work in dedicated benches without accounting for the infrastructural limitation.

The remedies, though long overdue, are within reach. The government must develop a time-bound infrastructure plan, identifying courtroom deficits by districts and providing a construction timeline. Dhaka alone requires 17 additional courtrooms; Khulna needs 13; Chattogram needs 12. But infrastructure is only the first step. The government must also digitise case records to prevent losses and reduce paper-based delays. Case management software should allow judges to prepare orders outside courtroom hours.

Besides, paralegal support should be expanded to handle preliminary case processing, freeing judges to focus on hearings and judgments. For acute shortages in 23 districts, temporary arrangements, such as mobile courts and shared spaces with administrative offices, must bridge the gap while permanent buildings are built. Alternative dispute resolution mechanisms should be expanded to reduce the load on lower courts for minor civil disputes. These solutions are neither novel nor innovative; they are implemented globally and would require intent, coordination and the political will to act now.