Chattogram has added 63 courts and tribunals since 2025 to reduce case backlogs, but several continue to share hearing rooms as infrastructure has failed to keep pace with the expansion.
According to government gazette notifications and court sources, the shortage of space, coupled with more than three lakh pending cases, inadequate facilities for lawyers and traffic congestion, is creating difficulties for judges, lawyers and people seeking justice.
The problems extend beyond courtrooms. Lawyers struggle to find working space, people attending court face limited waiting facilities, and hawkers and indiscriminate parking obstruct access roads.
Lawyers say establishing new courts is a step towards reducing the backlog, but the lack of adequate infrastructure remains a major concern.
Multiple courts share hearing rooms
During a visit to the complex, TBS found that Money Loan Courts 2 and 3 share a room in the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court building. The Child Violence Suppression Tribunals for Chattogram district and metropolitan areas also share a courtroom.
Family Courts 2 and 3 operate from one room, while the Family Appeal Court and Land Survey Appeal Tribunal share another.
Six Joint Metropolitan Sessions Judge Courts – Courts 2 to 7 – have three hearing rooms between them, requiring judges to conduct proceedings in turns.
Although hearings are scheduled in advance, avoiding direct delays, litigants say the arrangements cause confusion.
Mujibul Haque, a resident of Sugandha Residential Area, has been attending court for more than two years in connection with a cheque-related case.
"I cannot always tell which court is conducting proceedings. On top of that, traffic congestion and illegal parking make it difficult to move around the court complex," he said.
Another litigant, Saiful Islam, who has several ongoing cases, said he frequently had to call his lawyer after becoming confused about court proceedings.
"Sometimes I even miss a court appearance because of the confusion," he said.
Lawyer Mohammad Redwan told TBS that sharing courtrooms disrupted the normal court environment and created difficulties in storing documents and accommodating witnesses and litigants.
63 new courts, but limited infrastructure
Of the 63 courts and tribunals established since 2025, 56 were created last year and seven this year. They include family, money loan, sessions, commercial and narcotics courts and tribunals.
The historic red court building dates back to the British period, while another court building was constructed in 2008.
Construction of the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court building began in 2013, and judicial activities started there in January 2017.
No new court building has been constructed since then, according to court sources, despite the expansion of judicial institutions.
More than three lakh cases pending
More than three lakh cases are pending across various courts and tribunals in Chattogram, according to court records.
Of these, around 70,000 cases are pending in eight metropolitan magistrate courts, 50,000 in metropolitan sessions courts and 1.5 lakh in district and sessions courts.
More than 50,000 other cases are pending in the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, seven Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunals and other courts and tribunals.
Lawyers view the establishment of new courts as a positive step towards reducing the backlog. However, they say increasing the number of courts alone will not be enough without adequate infrastructure.
Lawyers face chamber shortage
The Chattogram District Bar Association has around 9,300 registered lawyers, but chamber and seating facilities remain limited, according to the association.
Its six buildings, including Doyel and Shapla, have permanent chamber facilities for around 1,857 lawyers. Four auditoriums provide another 492 places with chairs and drawers, bringing the combined seating capacity to 2,349.
However, auditorium seating is not equivalent to permanent chambers, leaving many lawyers without dedicated working space.
Lawyers say three or four often share a small chamber, leaving little room for clients. Junior lawyers can wait years for an allocation.
Hawkers, parking obstruct access
Roadside stalls, indiscriminate parking and traffic congestion restrict access to Court Hill, where thousands visit courts and government offices daily.
Lawyers say congestion affects pedestrians and vehicles, including prison vans transporting accused persons.
In a letter dated 23 July, lawyer Mohammad Asaduzzaman Khan urged the Chattogram District Bar Association to seek better traffic management and measures against indiscriminate parking.
The association subsequently wrote to the Chattogram Metropolitan Police commissioner and deputy commissioner, requesting traffic police at key points and action against illegal parking.
It also requested Chattogram City Corporation Mayor Shahadat Hossain, in a letter dated 20 September, to construct two passenger shelters along Abdur Rahman Road for court visitors, students and other road users.
Chattogram District Bar Association General Secretary Mohammed Moinuddin said inadequate traffic management and roadside vendors were contributing to congestion.
"We have taken the matter seriously and written to the deputy commissioner and police commissioner. We are also planning to take a firm stance on hawkers," he said.
Moinuddin added that repeated requests for court infrastructure had brought little visible progress.
He said increasing the number of courts without adequate facilities would make it difficult to reduce pending cases and ensure timely justice.