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Attorney General Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajal has said that increasing the number of judges or court benches alone will not be enough to reduce the backlog of cases or ensure speedy justice.
He made the remarks while speaking to journalists at his office on Sunday (October 25).
Alongside increasing the number of benches, ensuring judges’ competence, integrity and diligence is essential, he said, adding that reducing the Supreme Court’s lengthy vacations is also under consideration.
Kajal also spoke about the reorganisation of Supreme Court benches, judicial appointments, professional facilities for journalists and hearings in several high-profile murder cases.
Emphasising the need to assess judicial performance, the attorney general said the number of benches alone should not determine efforts to reduce the backlog. The number of cases disposed of by each bench is equally important, he added.
He noted that benches with similar jurisdiction could have significantly different case-disposal rates.
Citing a special bench formed to hear cases under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, Kajal said it disposed of around 24 cases involving confirmation of death sentences in approximately 30 to 35 working days. The cases included the widely discussed murders of Asia in Madaripur and Nusrat in Feni.
He said the disposal rates of other benches with similar jurisdiction should also be examined through statistical analysis.
To accelerate judicial proceedings, the competence and diligence of judges must be assessed alongside the effectiveness of individual benches, he said. Appointing qualified judges and making the best use of the existing judicial structure could make efforts to reduce the backlog more effective.
Kajal said 57 benches of the High Court Division had been reorganised following the end of the Supreme Court’s first extended vacation since Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury assumed office. The initiative aims to reduce the backlog and ensure speedy justice.
He said the reorganisation prioritised experienced judges as well as capable, honest, talented and diligent younger judges to bring greater dynamism to the judiciary.
Regarding the alleged harassment of a student at a madrasa in Gazipur and other recent incidents, the attorney general stressed that such matters should be resolved through legal procedures rather than emotional reactions.
He said respect for teachers should be maintained, while anyone found guilty of a crime must face appropriate punishment. At the same time, innocent people must be protected from harassment during investigations and trials.
Kajal reiterated that reducing the Supreme Court’s lengthy vacations was under consideration. However, he said the decision would not rest solely with the chief justice but would require collective consideration by judges of both the High Court Division and the Appellate Division.
Discussions are under way to reduce interruptions to judicial proceedings caused by lengthy vacations, he added, but any final decision would depend on the views and collective agreement of the relevant judges.