Over 12,000 cases pending with Patuakhali courts

Over 12,000 cases have been pending with courts here for a long time due to shortage of judges.

Sources in Patuakhali District And Sessions Judge's Court said 12,009 cases, both civil and criminal ones, are pending with courts as nine out of 20 judges are vacant.

Three posts of joint district judges, three posts of assistant judges, additional chief judicial magistrate and senior judicial magistrate are lying vacant at the District and Sessions Judge's Court.

District and Sessions Judge SM Majibur Rahman has been transferred to Chittagong. He left Patuakhali for the port city on August 7.

As many as 651 criminal cases and 9,013 civil cases are pending with the District Judge's Court, 156 criminals cases and 82 civil cases pending with the Special Court, 1,344 cases with Nari-O-Shishu Nirjaton Damon Court (women and children repression prevention tribunal) and 10,763 cases with the Judicial Magistrate's Court.

Contacted, advocate Abul Kalam Azad, president of Patuakhali Bar Association said, many people are now being deprived of justice due to shortage of judges. Moreover, the courts have been facing manifold problems as many posts of cognizance judges are vacant, he said.

'We are trying to draw attention of the higher authorities to fill up the vacant posts,' he added.

Source : The Daily Star