Consensus reached in principle to expand lower courts to upazila-level: Ali Riaz

The country's political parties and alliances have reached a consensus on gradually expanding lower courts to the Upazila level, National Consensus Commission Vice Chair Ali Riaz said on Monday (7 July).

Watch: What parties say

Briefing reporters following a commission dialogue, Riaz stated that while the parties broadly support decentralisation of the judiciary, they have advised several considerations for the rollout.

"Among these are proposals to clearly link courts in sadar upazilas with their corresponding district judge courts, maintain existing Chowki courts and courts in the hill tracts, and invest in proper infrastructure. Courts near the districts may be deemed unnecessary, pending proper surveys," he said. 

"Future court establishments in other Upazilas should consider population density, geography, accessibility, distance from the district headquarters, economic conditions, and caseload," he said, adding that allocation for infrastructure and legal aid must be ensured.

The commission and the political parties believe the steps will lay the groundwork for future expansion of judicial services to the upazila level.

Due to time constraints, discussions on women's political representation were not held but will resume Thursday morning, he added.

At the 10th National Consensus Commission dialogue at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka today (7 July), political parties expressed unanimous support in principle for the phased expansion of subordinate courts at the upazila level.

The commission's proposal recommends assessing geographic location, proximity to district headquarters, transport infrastructure, population density, and caseloads to determine which upazilas require permanent courts.

It also calls for reviewing the existing network of chowki courts to consider whether they should all be converted into permanent courts or if restructuring is necessary. Where appropriate, multiple upazilas may fall under the jurisdiction of a single court to ensure practicality.

The commission's proposal further recommends appointing senior assistant judges and first-class magistrates at upazila-level courts and revising the financial jurisdiction of civil courts to reflect current realities. It also calls for extending legal aid services to the upazila level.

Speaking at the session, BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said, "Upazilas located very close to district headquarters do not require separate subordinate courts. Nor is there a need to duplicate district courts within the same locality." He urged that a comprehensive survey be conducted to determine the number and placement of new courts.