Magistrate courts in Bangladesh

Magistrate Court is a criminal court located in the districts and metropolitan areas of Bangladesh. At the district level, the court is referred to as Magistrate Court, which includes the courts of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Senior Judicial Magistrate, and Judicial Magistrate. On the other hand, in metropolitan areas, the courts of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, and Metropolitan Magistrate are collectively referred to as Magistrate Courts. According to section 4(k) of the amended Criminal Procedure Code of 2007, the term magistrate refers specifically to a Judicial Magistrate.

The Chief Judicial Magistrate is the head of the Magistrate Court in the district. The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate is the second-in-command at the Magistrate Court. Additionally, one or more Senior Judicial Magistrates and Judicial Magistrates serve as presiding officers of various magistrate courts at the sub-district level. The different levels of magistrates in the district Magistrate Court are:

• Chief Judicial Magistrate
• Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate
• Senior Judicial Magistrate / First Class Magistrate
• Judicial Magistrate

On the other hand, the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate is the chief magistrate of the Magistrate Court in the metropolitan area. The Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate is the second highest officer in the metropolitan magistrate court. Meanwhile, Metropolitan Magistrates perform duties in various magistrate courts. The different levels of magistrates in the metropolitan magistrate court are:

• Chief Metropolitan Magistrate
• Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate
• Metropolitan Magistrate / First Class Magistrate