High Court disposes of over 20,000 long-pending cases in four-day

In a significant step toward reducing judicial backlog, the High Court has disposed of more than 20,000 long-pending cases within just four working days under a special case clearance initiative.

According to Supreme Court officials, a total of 20,740 old cases have been resolved so far, including 15,172 criminal miscellaneous cases and 5,568 writ petitions. The initiative is being carried out under the direction of the Chief Justice to expedite justice delivery and improve the efficiency of the judicial system.

Supreme Court Public Relations Officer Shafiqul Islam confirmed the development on Saturday (June 20), saying the special drive has been conducted on designated working days as part of an ongoing effort to clear longstanding case backlogs.

On the latest working day, Thursday (June 18), High Court criminal motion benches disposed of 1,884 old criminal miscellaneous cases, while writ motion benches settled another 541 pending writ petitions. In total, 2,425 cases were resolved in a single day.

Court sources said the special initiative, launched on May 7, prioritizes the disposal of old and complex cases that have remained pending for years. Since its inception, the program has produced substantial results, significantly reducing pressure on the judicial system.

The Supreme Court administration stated that the primary objectives of the initiative are to ensure faster access to justice, reduce case congestion and make the judiciary more responsive and efficient.

Officials also indicated that the special disposal programme will continue in the coming weeks as part of broader efforts to strengthen public confidence in the justice system and accelerate the resolution of long-standing legal disputes.