Judiciary
Mymensingh

Mymensingh Judiciary Department

Judicial system during Mughal rule in Mymensingh district

During the Mughal rule, the judicial power of this district was in the hands of Qazis. Where there was no Kazi, the zamindars of the pargana administered the judicial work of that place. Zamindars' revenue defaults were tried in the capital. The zamindars were often not disciplined if they defaulted on anything other than revenue payments. The common people silently tolerated the tyranny of the zamindar. This rule was prevalent even at the beginning of English rule. The zamindars used to pay their revenue to the collectorate of Dhaka. In case of default in revenue payment, company men would arrest the zamindar or his bureaucrats. The company had little relation with the public. The complaints of the subjects were judged by the zamindars.

Mymensingh district was established on 1st May 1787. After the establishment of Mymensingh District, Mr. Rotton was first appointed as Judge, Magistrate and Collector. Even if such powers were conferred, the Collector would not inquire into any matter other than the collection of revenue. In 1789 Stephens Baird succeeded Mr. Rotton as Judge, Magistrate, Collectorate. At this time the area of Mymensingh district was very large. Faraway places like Taraf in Srihatt district, Meher Sarail in Tripura district, Velua in Noakhali district, Bardakhat, Sirajganj in Pabna district, Tura in Assam were under Mymensingh district.

From 1787 to 1791, the English were only concerned with the revenue settlement in the district, and did nothing to establish justice and governance. Earlier the work of judicial and administrative department was handled by zamindars, leaseholders and casuals. Ordinary justice was administered by the Gramya Panchayat. Although the Collector had the powers of Magistrate and Judge, he did not get the opportunity or leisure to exercise them. Villagers would “eat kill and steal kill” yet would not come abroad to die in trouble.

At that time not all zamindars had judicial power; The zamindars who customarily paid the revenue usually had judicial power over them. Without the power given by the government, all the landowners, big and small, looked after the judicial system of their respective areas. There was no one to judge their injustice. There was no one to measure the tyranny and injustice of the places where subjects were litigated and masters and subjects were at odds, and the deep interests of the master existed.

In 1792, when additional tahsil kacharis were established for the district, the district collector entrusted them with the burden of tahsil work and concentrated on judicial and administrative work. In 1793, when Lord Cornwallis's Commentaries on Government and Justice were published, the extra baggage was removed and the civil department was separated.

Establishment of Judge Courts in Mymensingh District and Tenure of Working Judges

Judge Court of Mymensingh was established in April 1793. According to the Judicial Proceedings of the Counselor Governor General dated May 12, 1793, Judge and Magistrate Voltaire Maguire established the Judiciary and Judiciary Department in this district by accepting the powers of Judiciary and Judiciary from Collector Baird. From that, British justice and governance was introduced in this district. In 1834, the post of Judge was separated and Magistrate and Collector became one person. A total of 56 district judges served from 1834 to 1900. Later, from 1901 to 2022, a total of 78 judges served and are serving as District Judge, Mymensingh.

In 1834 Mr. was appointed only as a judge. T. Watt. He served till 1836. Then in 1837-1838 G. C. Cheep, 1838 J. M. Hay, 1839-1840 R. Torrance, 1840-41 W. Oslo, 1842-43 T. Taylor and J. T. G. Cook, 1844-45 T. Taylor and C. T. Davidson, 1846-49 T Taylor, 1850-52 RE Cunliffey, 1853 W T Trotter, 1854-55 RE Cunliffey, JH Peyton, 1856-58 W T Trotter, 1859 W Taylor, ES Pearson, J Doubly Delbymple, H V Bailey and F AB Graver, 1860 HJ Jackson, HV Bayley, 1861 FAB Graver, CH Campbell and EF Lotter, 1862 CH Campbell, JV Dodson, VH Scales, 1863-65 JC Dodson, 1865f BC Simson, 1866-67 A Levin, FBC Simson, 1867 A Levin, 1867-68 H Machpreter, 1869 EW Moloney; H. Much Pratt, 1869-70 W. J. Money; A. R. Thomson, 1871-72 W. J. Money; W. Cornell; AR Thomson' H Machpret, 1873 A Abercrombie; 1874 WJ Money; C Pratt in 1875-76; Jay Money; 1877 JP Grant; ES Mosley; 1878 WJ Money; 1879-80 T.M. Karrkud; AW will coach; G. E. Parter; 1881 T D Byton; 1882-83 Jay Crawford; G G Day; 1884-86 JF Stevens; 1886 HFF Matthews; HP Peterson; 1887 RF Rampini; J Prad, 1888 H P Peterson; 1889 FJG Kembell; HP Peterson; CP Kesparz, 1890 J Kelleher; 1891 D Cameron, FH Harding; 1895 E Geek; R. H. Anderson, 1896 W. H. Lee, R. H. Anderson, 1897 AP Penal, 1898 Ambika Charan Sen, HS Hamilton, 1899-1900 Ambika Charan Sen, 1901 C. P. Beech Cropt, B. B. Nickle, 1902 W. T. Nunn, 1903 W. H. Lee, 1904-05 J. E. Webster, 1906 A. E. Harward, J. N. Roy; 1907-11 H Walmsley, RR Garlick, 1912 JD Cargill; 1913 MC Ghosh; 1914 JD Cargill; 1916 W. A. Seaton; 1919 JP Hough; 1921 F Dubø Ward; 1922 C Beatle; 1922-23 HC Maitland; 1923-25 M Yusuf, JCH McNair; 1926 to JC Seng; 1926-27 RR Garlick; Henderson in 1928; 1928-29 Jay Davie Nelson; Henderson, 1929-30; 1930-34 RF Lodge; 1934