Case-backlog

There are 365 days in a year. In 2026, however, the Appellate Division and High Court Division of Bangladesh’s Supreme Court will remain closed for 183 days. This means regular judicial proceedings at the country’s highest court will remain suspended for more than half the year. In contrast, the court will remain open for only 182 days. An analysis of the Supreme Court’s 2026 calendar shows that the court will observe 104 days of weekly holidays on Fridays and Saturdays. In addition, ther...

The country’s courts are burdened with a huge backlog of drug cases. The number of pending cases that have accumulated over the years has crossed 450,000. One case has been pending for 22 years. Its trial has remained stalled for years because witnesses have failed to appear in court. Against this backdrop, the government has established 22 Narcotics Control Tribunals in different parts of the country including Dhaka to reduce delays in drug cases. The Ministry of Law issued a notificatio...