Courts in Anwara and Chandanaish, under the Joint District and Sessions Judge Court in Patiya, Chattogram, have been without judges for about 18 months. After the judges of both courts were transferred at the beginning of 2025, no replacements were appointed. Their work is being handled on an additional-duty basis by a judge from another court, leaving nearly 9,000 cases pending, according to court sources.

The Patiya outpost court handles civil court proceedings for five upazilas in southern Chattogram: Patiya, Boalkhali, Anwara, Chandanaish and Karnaphuli. Civil Judge Polina Akhtar, who is responsible for the Boalkhali court, was assigned the additional responsibility for the Anwara and Chandanaish courts. Patiya court nazir Anik Gupta said the problem arose after the judges were transferred.

Litigants said they must wait four to six months for the next hearing after a case is heard once. They said the prolonged shortage of judges is increasing the backlog, extending legal proceedings and causing severe hardship for ordinary people. They called for judges to be appointed quickly to the vacant posts.