Recover the missing court files

According to a report published in the media on Monday (January 6), it has been revealed that the case dockets or CDs of 1,911 cases from the Chattogram court are missing. These files include records of cases related to murder, drugs, smuggling, and explosions, which are said to be crucial for judicial work, according to lawyers. Without the files, it will be difficult to prove the crimes.

We are not only saddened by such news, but also utterly astonished. How can case files go missing from such an important institution as the court? This indicates just how insecure the court is! If the files of cases are lost, it becomes impossible to proceed with those cases. How could files related to critical cases such as murder and smuggling go missing? This clearly demonstrates negligence on the part of the court.

The report further mentions that due to the inability to locate the case dockets, on Sunday, January 5, the public prosecutor (PP) of the Chattogram Metropolitan Sessions Court, Mofijul Haque Bhuiyan, filed a General Diary (GD) at the Kotwali police station in the city. The GD mentions that 28 to 30 court case files were kept at the PP office. Due to a lack of space in the PP office, since April 24, 2023, the case dockets of 1,911 cases were stored in plastic bags on the front porch of the PP office, wrapped in plastic.

Due to the court's closure during the vacation period, the files went missing between December 13 and December 31. Despite extensive searches, they could not be found. An application was submitted to register the matter in the police station's diary. It can be assumed that whoever was involved in this did so with a well-thought-out plan. This is not about one or two case files going missing; it is about nearly 2,000 case files. Why were these important documents only wrapped in plastic?

It is further revealed that the files were kept on the porch. The public prosecutor, Mofijul Haque Bhuiyan, admitted to the media that he had to place the files on the porch because there was no room available to store them. Why would case files be kept on the porch? Why would the court be left unsecured during the vacation period? These days, even private homes have CCTV cameras. Does the Chattogram court not have CCTV? Would it not be possible to investigate and gather the correct facts and evidence? No such information has come up in the media.

The loss of case dockets from such an important institution as the court is not a trivial matter. It is crucial to find out who or what group is behind the disappearance. Nazim Uddin Chowdhury, president of the Chattogram District Bar Association, believes that the accused may have been involved in this act to gain an advantage in the case. It must also be investigated whether criminal elements are behind this.

The loss of these case files will not only put the plaintiffs and defendants in a difficult situation, but it could also facilitate various types of state crimes. Therefore, the issue of missing case files should not be taken lightly, and urgent steps must be taken to recover them. If the criminals are caught, exemplary punishment should be meted out. Additionally, anyone found negligent in the loss of these files should also be held accountable.