Nilphamari CJM Court building in limbo
Nearly two decades after the separation of the judiciary, Nilphamari still does not have a dedicated building for the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Court. Judicial proceedings have long been conducted in the old Munsif Court building, causing various difficulties for judges, lawyers, court officials, employees and litigants.
Under the government project titled “Construction of Chief Judicial Magistrate Court Buildings in 64 District Headquarters of Bangladesh (1st Phase),” an initiative was taken to construct a dedicated court building in Nilphamari. However, despite the completion of several administrative procedures and the passage of years, visible construction work has yet to begin.
According to government documents, 1.45 acres of land from the former district jail premises was selected for construction of the Nilphamari CJM Court building. In a memorandum dated 16 July 2017, Acquisition Branch-1 of the Ministry of Land instructed the district administration to take necessary steps to hand over the land in favour of the Law and Justice Division.
Nilphamari Chief Judicial Magistrate Md. Enamul Haque Basunia said that although the court does not yet have its own building, the Nilphamari CJM Court continues to conduct judicial proceedings along with administrative and public service activities.
He said initiatives were taken to destroy old case exhibits and narcotics that have remained in the malkhana for a long time after the disposal of cases. Steps are also being taken to auction old motorcycles, bicycles and other case exhibits kept at different police stations after disposal of the relevant cases, with the proceeds to be deposited into the government treasury.
The CJM further said measures were taken to prevent drug-related activities in the abandoned buildings of the former district jail, construct a guide wall at the designated site for the new court building, ensure prompt delivery of certified copies from the record room, prevent irregularities, take legal action against irregularities in the service of summons, and establish an information service centre to provide judicial information and services more quickly.
Later, in a memorandum dated 30 October 2018, the Nilphamari Public Works Department (PWD) stated that Tk 336,635,571 had been deposited as compensation for acquisition of the land for construction of the court building. The PWD also requested that the 1.45 acres of land be handed over to the department as soon as possible.
Subsequently, on 31 July 2019, the 1.45 acres of land located in Nilphamari Town Mouza was demarcated on site and formally handed over to the Chief Judicial Magistrate. The possession document identifies the land as being in Nilphamari Town Mouza under JL No. 58 of Nilphamari Sadar upazila.
Records show that a total of 1.4500 acres of land was acquired from portions of Dag Nos. 775, 776 and 777 under SA Khatian No. 554.
Meanwhile, the Nilphamari Chief Judicial Magistrate Court has nine judicial magistrate posts, of which six magistrates are currently serving, according to relevant sources. In the absence of a dedicated court building, judicial proceedings continue to be held in the old Munsif Court building.
The old premises are reportedly inadequate and lack sufficient facilities, creating various limitations for the smooth functioning of judicial activities and causing inconvenience to court users.
Sources seeking anonymity said the court-building project has already gone through various administrative procedures, but construction has not started even after several years. The project is reportedly now awaiting approval from the Planning Ministry.
According to relevant documents, training programmes have also been arranged to enhance the skills of court employees. Regular meetings are being held to monitor and supervise judicial activities, while steps are being taken for the prompt destruction of narcotics seized in different cases.
However, despite the completion of various processes including project formulation, land acquisition, demarcation and handover construction of the Nilphamari CJM Court building has yet to begin. The prolonged delay has raised concerns among stakeholders over when the district will finally receive a dedicated building for the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court.
