20,000 cases pending with Satkhira courts

According to the court sources, at least 9,931 cases have been pending for trial in the judge's courts till December 31 last year. The number of civil cases is 8,314 while the number of criminal cases is 1,617.

At least 14 magistrates are needed to conduct the pending cases.

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According to lawyers, an assistant judge is conducting the trial of cases in three assistant judge's courts. One additional judge is conducting the trial of three other additional judge's courts. At least, 40 cases are being put up before the courts for trial daily.

According to sources in Satkhira Deputy Commissioner (DC) office, at least 9,506 cases have been piled up in the courts of magistrates. About 4,020 cases are pending in the Cognigence courts and 4,713 cases in the trial courts. Besides, three cases are pending under the Speedy Trial Act,700 cases pending under the Forest Act and 70 cases are pending under Drug Control Act for a long time. Only one first class magistrate out of eight first class magistrates, conduct the cases. Only three second class magistrates are conducting the cases. On an average, at least, 400 cases were put up before the courts for trial everyday in 11 magistrates' courts.

According to senior lawyers, trial of civil cases filed in 1980 have been pending in the courts.

Litigants told this correspondent, they come to the court on the day fixed for trial but they go back disappointed as the trial of the cases did not take place due to shortage of judges.

According to Md Elias, DC, Satkhira, several letters were already sent to the Ministry of Establish-ment for appointment of first and second class magistrates, but to no effect.

Advocate Abdur Rahim, President of Satkhira Bar Associa-tion told this correspondent that the litigant people have been suffering a lot for delay in disposal of the cases.