Judicial helpline service to launch in 64 districts

A new initiative titled “Judicial Helpline Service” is set to be launched across all 64 districts and eight metropolitan sessions courts in Bangladesh. The Supreme Court has finalized a draft to introduce this service with the aim of eliminating obstacles and irregularities in accessing judicial services in courts and tribunals. Through this service, citizens seeking justice will be able to instantly lodge complaints or seek assistance. The helpline is expected to be operational in district and metropolitan sessions courts by the end of June, and gradually extended to other tribunals and special courts.

According to sources at the Supreme Court, the helpline service will first be implemented in district judges’ courts, metropolitan magistrates’ courts, and sessions courts by the end of June. By the end of this year, the helpline will be extended to all district-level judicial institutions, including the Chief Judicial Magistrate Courts, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Courts, the International Crimes Tribunal, and other tribunals and special judges’ courts.

This initiative is being launched under the authority granted to the Supreme Court by Article 94(A) of the Constitution of Bangladesh. As per the draft plan, each court and tribunal will have a dedicated mobile phone number for the helpline. Through this number, service-seekers will be able to contact officials for information or to file complaints about difficulties faced in obtaining judicial services. Additionally, a helpline desk will be set up at each court, managed by a designated court official who will provide necessary assistance. The helpline will be operational from Sunday to Thursday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, excluding public holidays.

The Ministry of Law has confirmed that in the first phase, the helpline will be introduced in all courts including district and sessions judges, additional district and sessions judges, joint district and sessions judges, senior assistant judges, assistant judges, as well as Chief Judicial Magistrates and other magistrate courts. Subsequently, the service will be extended to administrative courts and tribunals such as: Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal, Financial Courts, Money Loan Courts, Insolvency Court, Tax Appellate Tribunal, Special Tribunal for Stock Market Irregularities, Labour Courts, the International Crimes Tribunal, Speedy Trial Tribunal, and the Bangladesh Cyber Tribunal.

Chief Justice Dr. Syed Refaat Ahmed has issued 12 directives to court officials—ranging from assistant registrars to higher-ranking officers—focusing on transparency, accountability, and improved service delivery for justice seekers. The helpline will function in line with these 12 directives. Some key points include strict adherence to the code of conduct while performing duties, avoidance of any financial transactions while on duty, timely delivery of services to seekers, elimination of delays in service, no harassment of service recipients, compassionate behavior from court staff towards citizens, daily completion of assigned tasks with no backlogs, routine, on-site monitoring by assistant and deputy registrars, regular updates to additional registrars on their assigned sections, accelerated implementation of monitoring activities, monthly reporting of monitoring outcomes to the Registrar of the Appellate and High Court Divisions and disciplinary action for staff violating the code of conduct or engaging in financial misconduct.

Registrar General of the Supreme Court, Aziz Ahmed Bhuiyan, told Views Bangladesh, “To eliminate barriers and irregularities in accessing justice, this judicial helpline will soon be launched nationwide under the leadership of the Supreme Court. It will be a groundbreaking initiative for improving access to legal services for all citizens.”

Attorney General Mohammad Asaduzzaman added, “The Supreme Court’s introduction of the judicial helpline across all courts will make legal services more accessible and open to everyone. I believe this will be a significant step toward facilitating justice for all.”

Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, in a recent event, emphasized, “At the heart of our work must be that citizen of Bangladesh who travels from a remote area in hope of justice. Therefore, to ensure accessible judicial services and the free flow of justice-related information for all citizens, we are launching this helpline across the country’s lower courts and tribunals.”