Dhaka, May 20 (V7N)- The Criminal Miscellaneous Branch of the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh has been divided into four separate branches, while the First Appeal Branch has been consolidated into three branches.

This change was announced in a memorandum signed by Muhammad Habibur Rahman Siddiqui, Registrar of the High Court Division, following the order of the Chief Justice. The memorandum is now available on the Supreme Court's official website.

The memorandum highlights the significance of the Criminal Miscellaneous Branch, which handles all criminal miscellaneous cases from subordinate courts and tribunals nationwide, along with administrative duties and file management. As of December 31, 2024, there are 7,422 pending cases in this branch, with 70,000 to 80,000 new cases filed annually.

However, due to space constraints and inadequate office infrastructure, the branch has faced challenges in properly managing the large volume of documents and cases. These difficulties have impacted both administrative and judicial functions.

To improve efficiency and administrative management, the Supreme Court has decided to split the Criminal Miscellaneous Branch into four branches. Meanwhile, the three First Appeal Branches have been reorganized into a single branch. This restructuring aims to facilitate smoother and more effective judicial operations.