Lawyer urges president for more Appellate Division judges, specialised benches

With only four judges, nearly 38,000 appeals are awaiting disposal at the country's highest court

Supreme Court lawyer Mohammad Shishir Manir has written to the president, urging an increase in the number of judges in the Appellate Division and the formation of specialised benches to expedite the disposal of cases.

The letter was sent on Wednesday through the secretary of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.

It highlights the growing frustration among litigants over prolonged delays in the judicial process and calls for effective measures to ensure speedy justice.

Speaking to reporters, Shishir described the current situation in the Appellate Division as critical.

"There are now only four judges in the Appellate Division, including the chief justice, while nearly 38,000 cases remain pending," he said.

Warning of a possible crisis in the judiciary, he added: "If specialised benches are not constituted in the Appellate Division, the justice system is bound to collapse. This is not about any particular government or individual; it is essential for the country's 200 million people."

He said the current backlog is so large that even if the judges worked seven days a week, it would take at least another decade to clear the pending cases.

In the letter, Shishir compares the present situation with that of the early years of Bangladesh's Supreme Court.

When the Supreme Court began functioning on Dec 18, 1972, the Appellate Division had four judges and 4,056 pending cases, while the country's population stood at around 64 million.

Today, with a population of about 178.1 million, the number of pending cases in the Appellate Division has risen to approximately 38,713, but the number of judges remains unchanged at four, the letter says.

Citing the Supreme Court's 2024 annual report, the letter notes that the Appellate Division had its highest strength of 11 judges in 2009, when pending cases stood at 5,260.

Although the number of judges has declined over the years, the case backlog has continued to grow, reaching 19,928 in 2022 despite the presence of nine judges.

Referring to practices in developed countries, Shishir said their top courts are divided into specialised benches dealing with civil, criminal, writ and company matters, while all benches sit together to hear cases of national importance.

The letter also cites neighbouring India, saying an ordinance issued on May 16, 2026 increased the sanctioned strength of the Indian Supreme Court from 34 judges to 38.

Shishir argues that appointing at least nine judges and forming specialised benches is necessary to ensure thorough hearings and reduce the suffering of litigants.

The letter proposes two urgent measures: increasing the number of judges in the Appellate Division without delay and dividing the court into specialised benches.

Without these steps, he warns, judicial reforms and claims of judicial independence will ultimately be overwhelmed by the growing case backlog.