Textiles and jute ministry has taken an initiative to set up a legal cell to handle a backlog of 2,103 long-pending civil and administrative cases being faced by various departments and agencies under the ministry. Sources said the move has been made with an aim to protect public property under the ministry. “We’re facing hundreds of cases to protect public property worth over Tk 1,000 crore but we have no legal cell. We’ve already communicated with public administration ministry for opening a legal cell. It’ll be easy to monitor these cases strongly if we can open it soon,” said an official. Mirza Azam, state minister for textiles and jute ministry, told daily sun that no other ministry is facing such a logjam of cases like his ministry. “We’re cordially trying to dispose of the cases but with some complexities. We found some problems among officers and lawyers concerned. Many of them have been removed. We hope to successfully handle the cases soon.” The junior minister said the process is on to establish a legal cell headed by a joint secretary to monitor these cases.It was learnt that offices under the ministry are running the cases with the help of 167 lawyers but there is no arrangement to evaluate their performance. But officials concerned said the ministry has taken steps to evaluate performance of lawyers and officials, assigned to deal these cases. Available statistics show departments under the ministry are dealing with 460 property-related and 1,435 administrative cases. The ministry is dealing 352 cases on a priority basis. According to an official record, Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation is dealing with the highest 1,242 cases. Of them, 263 are being dealt on a priority basis. The corporation has engaged 57 lawyers to deal with the cases. The ministry has directed BJMC lawyers to run property-related cases first. It was learnt that BJMC has removed at least three lawyers for low performance. Bangladesh Textile Mills Corporation is facing 334 cases and has engaged 54 lawyers for legal battle. BTMC has also engaged Yusuf Hossain Humayun as a specialist lawyer to engage in the legal fight for it. Bangladesh Jute Corporation is facing 235 cases against various parties with the legal aid of 40 lawyers. The ministry’s liquidation cell is facing 27 property-related cases with only one lawyer while Adamjee Sons is operating eight cases with two. Textiles directorate is facing seven cases and the state-appointed lawyers are operating these cases. In addition, 25 cases are being faced by Bangladesh Sericulture Development Board, 12 by Bangladesh Handloom Board, 206 by Jute Directorate and seven by Bangladesh Sericulture Research and Training Institute. In the meantime, the ministry held four meetings to find ways to dispose of the cases soon. Chaired by Mirza Azam, the meetings were held on December 8 in 2014, February 2 in 2015, April 12 in 2015 and May 12 in 2015. The ministry made a decision to develop software for keeping records and updates of all the cases, monitor lawyers’ activities and evaluate working capacity of the officials involved. In the April 12 meeting, it was decided to reconsider engagement of lawyers who are dealing with the cases of liquidation cell, BJC and Adamjee Sons. Contacted, Textiles and Jute Minister Emaz Uddin Pramanik told daily sun that his ministry is trying to protect the state’s interest so that giving utmost attention to handling the cases. The ministry will evaluate performance of lawyers and officers dealing with the cases to ensure expected outcome, he added.
