Govt forms 22 tribunals to expedite drug crime trials

The government has established 22 ‘Narcotics Crime Suppression Tribunals’ in different districts and metropolitan areas, including Dhaka, Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar and Cumilla, to speed up the trial of drug-related offences.

The Law Ministry announced the decision in a gazette notification published in an extra edition of the Bangladesh Gazette on Thursday night. The tribunals have been established under the authority granted by Section 44A of the Narcotics Control Act, 2018, with separate territorial jurisdictions and boundaries assigned to each.

For Dhaka district, one tribunal has been established, while four separate tribunals have been created for the Dhaka Metropolitan Police area.

Dhaka Metropolitan-1: Pallabi, Kafrul, Mirpur, Shah Ali, Darus Salam, Rupnagar, Bhashantek, Tejgaon, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Hatirjheel, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Ramna and Shahbagh police stations.
Dhaka Metropolitan-2: Kalabagan, Dhanmondi, Hazaribagh, New Market, Adabar, Kotwali, Bangshal, Chawkbazar, Lalbagh, Kamrangirchar and Mohammadpur.
Dhaka Metropolitan-3: Motijheel, Shahjahanpur, Paltan, Sabujbagh, Khilgaon, Mugda, Rampura, Demra, Shyampur, Sutrapur, Gandaria, Jatrabari, Kadamtali and Wari.
Dhaka Metropolitan-4: Uttara East, Uttara West, Uttarkhan, Dakkhinkhan, Airport, Turag, Badda, Gulshan, Banani, Bhatara, Cantonment and Khilkhet.

Narayanganj will have two tribunals, Narayanganj-1 and Narayanganj-2. One tribunal will serve Chattogram district, while three will serve Chattogram Metropolitan—Chattogram Metropolitan-1, 2 and 3.

Three tribunals have been designated for Cox’s Bazar, a major border and drug-trafficking hotspot: Cox’s Bazar-1: Teknaf, Kutubdia and Maheshkhali. Cox’s Bazar-2: Ukhia, Sadar and Eidgaon. Cox’s Bazar-3: Ramu, Chakaria, Pekua and Matamuhuri.

In addition, two tribunals will serve Cumilla, while Brahmanbaria, Rajshahi district, Rajshahi Metropolitan, Bogura, Dinajpur and Jashore will each have one tribunal.

Transfer of Pending Cases: The gazette states that within 60 days of its issuance, ongoing cases involving offences punishable by at least five years’ imprisonment under the Narcotics Control Act, 2018, will be transferred from the existing courts to the newly established tribunals in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations.

The trials will not start over from the beginning. Each case will continue from the stage at which it is transferred to the new tribunal.

The notification states that the decision takes immediate effect.