Consensus reached on expanding courts to upazila level

Political parties reached an agreement on Monday to expand subordinate courts to the upazila level aiming to provide better access to justice for citizens.

They, however, do not support setting up courts in upazilas close to district headquarters.

The agreement came from a dialogue with the National Consensus Commission at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka. Political representatives expressed their general support for the initiative.

The commission’s draft proposal recommends establishing permanent courts based on factors like the geographical location of upazila centers, the distance from district towns, transportation options, population density, and the volume of cases.

It also suggests reviewing existing circuit courts to see if they should become permanent courts or be reorganized as needed. In some cases, courts in one upazila may serve nearby upazilas based on practical needs.

The proposal includes appointing Senior Assistant Judges and First-Class Magistrates at the upazila level and increasing their financial authority for civil cases. It also recommends expanding legal aid services to these courts.

BNP Standing Committee Member Salauddin Ahmed has said that courts in upazilas too close to district headquarters or within district towns are unnecessary.

He urged the commission to survey which upazilas need lower courts.

Some leaders raised concerns that decentralizing courts might increase corruption. However, Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General Hamidur Rahman Azad disagreed. He stated, “The idea that corruption will rise with local courts is misguided. We must bring justice to the people’s doorstep to reduce harassment. We need transparency and accountability.”

Javed Rasin, Joint Convenor of the National Citizen Party (NCP), also called for quick action. He suggested that subordinate courts be set up based on parliamentary constituencies, if needed.

Several parties proposed setting a specific timeline for the implementation of the upazila-level court expansion.

While an agreement was made on the phased expansion, more suggestions from political parties will likely be discussed after a break in the ongoing dialogue.