Bangladesh to launch ‘One-Stop Judicial Service’ this year

One-Stop Judicial Service' is set to be launched this year across the 64 districts in the country, allowing citizens to file cases, receive services, and seek legal redress in one place. Bangladesh Supreme Court has already prepared a preliminary draft for the initiative and sent it to the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, with plans to implement it by July-August.

The highly anticipated service aims to address key issues in the justice system, including a lack of transparency and accountability in trials, lengthy proceedings, insufficient protection for victims, witnesses, lawyers, and judges, irregularities in sending cases to juvenile courts, political interference, and discrimination against marginalised communities.

In its initial phase, the 'One-Stop Judicial Service' will begin with mandatory mediation. If the issue remains unresolved, the complaint will be taken up in the local court.

According to Supreme Court sources, law enforcement agencies will provide all necessary assistance, including investigations, to both the plaintiff and the defendant, without the need for either party to approach the agencies themselves. Instead, law enforcement will come to them. Additionally, provisions will be made for victim protection and security. If a victim feels unsafe, they will be provided protection under the One-Stop Judicial Service, and the trial will proceed. The case will be adjudicated by a judge, who may either come from the judiciary or act as a mediator (lawyer).

However, any decision or verdict made through the One-Stop Judicial Service will ultimately be submitted to the judicial magistrate of the concerned area for approval. If any party disagrees with the verdict, they can appeal to the court of the relevant judicial magistrate, without needing to go elsewhere. Additionally, if there is a need for further investigation after the verdict, the investigating agency will visit the victim to conduct the re-investigation, ensuring the victim does not need to go anywhere.


In this regard, Supreme Court Senior Lawyer Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kazal told Views Bangladesh, "In our country, it has become common for victims to go from door to door in search of justice, and the suffering of both plaintiffs and defendants never seems to end. Hopefully, the introduction of the 'one-stop judicial service' will alleviate this suffering in many cases."

Human rights activist and Supreme Court lawyer Fawzia Karim Firoze told Views Bangladesh, “Currently, anyone seeking justice must go through multiple stages—starting from the police station or a judicial magistrate’s court, then moving on to the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court, the District and Sessions Judge’s Court, the High Court, and even the Appellate Division. They often have to visit police stations or other law enforcement agencies repeatedly for investigations. In this context, the launch of the 'One-Stop Judicial Service' would be a significant improvement, as it would allow trial seekers to access all necessary legal assistance in one place, eliminating the need to visit multiple courts and offices.”

Hasanuzzaman Ripon, Registrar (District and Sessions Judge) of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, said, “The Supreme Court has decided to introduce the 'One-Stop Judicial Service', and a preliminary draft has already been prepared. I hope it will be finalised soon to help ease the suffering of those seeking justice. The service will be launched simultaneously across all 64 districts of the country.”