Thakurgaon court restroom gathers dust as few know it exists

A restroom ‘Naykunja’ which was built spending Tk50 lakh at the Thakurgaon District and Sessions Judge’s Court for litigants and other court visitors remains largely underused, with many people unaware of its location.

The facility, constructed in 2023 to provide a place for people attending court proceedings to rest while waiting, is situated behind the main court building. The lack of visible signboards and its location away from the busy court premises have made it difficult for many visitors to find.

The court premises become crowded every working day as people arrive for case hearings, to give testimony or to seek bail for relatives. Many have to wait for hours, particularly those travelling from distant parts of the district. Maymuna Akhter, a resident of Balia in Sadar upazila, recently came to the court and had to wait for a long time. However, she did not know that the Naykunja had been built for people like her.

“I had to wait for a long time but did not know there was a restroom here. Many people would benefit if its location and facilities were clearly publicised,” she said.

Jahangir Alam of Baliadangi and Hasan Ali of Nargun village also said they had faced difficulties finding a place to sit during lengthy waits at the court. They said they were unaware of the facility. The Nyayakunja has seating arrangement for around 40 people, separate washrooms for men and women, safe drinking water facilities and a small tea stall. However, as the facility is not used regularly, dust has accumulated on the furniture and in different parts of the facility. 

The facility was constructed to reduce the hardship of people travelling from different parts of the district for court proceedings and provide them with a comfortable place to wait.

Hundreds of people visit the court every day, making adequate seating particularly important for elderly people, women and those who are sick.

However, court authorities said the Naykunja is not completely unused and that many litigants do use it. They acknowledged that its location behind the court building makes it difficult for many visitors to notice.

Pradeep Kumar Sarkar, administrative officer of the Thakurgaon District and Sessions Judge’s Court, said, “Since the Nyayakunja is behind the court building, many litigants do not know about its location or cannot find it. Measures will be taken so that more people can use the facility in the future.”

An information service centre at the entrance of the court also provides information and seating facilities for visitors, according to the authorities.
Litigants, however, have demanded that the Naykunja be kept open regularly and that visible signboards be installed to show its location. They also called for visitors to be informed about the facility.

They said ensuring regular and effective use of the facility is necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was built. They hoped the Naykunja will become a functional place of comfort rather than remain an overlooked structure behind the court building.