Case backlog has reached 'critical' state, says Chief Justice Hossain

Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain has expressed concerns over the number of cases pending in the Supreme Court, adding that the backlog has reached a 'critical' point.

He made the observations at the hearing of a case before the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Sunday.

The parties in the case were represented by Attorney General Mahbubey Alam on one side and former attorney general AF Hassan Ariff on the other.

"There are so many cases pending in the Supreme Court that there isn't enough room to keep the files. The situation is critical in one word and it can't go on like this," the chief justice said.

The Supreme Court's Judicial Reform Committee in conjunction with German Development Co-operation Bangladesh (GIZ) on Saturday presented an audit report relating the resolution of case backlog and the administration of justice.

Chief Justice Hossain spoke about the issue of case backlog at the event in the Supreme Court auditorium.

On the report, the chief justice said, "I'm almost embarrassed by the findings of the audit report on Supreme Court cases. It cannot go on like this."

"I have decided to sit with all the justices of the Supreme Court. I will ask them to find a resolution."

There are around 515,000 cases pending in the Supreme Court at present. The figure was only 25,000 in 1982.

The figure would have crossed 1 million had the court not disposed of anticipatory bail pleas regularly, the chief justice opined.

Case backlog will not be resolved by adding more judges to the judiciary in Bangladesh alone despite there being such a need, he added.

He emphasised proper management and structural development as ways to redress case backlog and ensuring the proper administration of justice.