Judiciary
Nilphamari

History of Nilphamari Judiciary

Nilphamari, an ancient city, has a rich historical background evidenced by numerous monuments and ancient texts. The excavation of Virata Raja Dighi in the 9th century BC and the almost extinct Dharmapala Gar, Harishchandra's path, all testify to the ancient history of Nilphamari. The name 'Nilphamari' is believed to have evolved from 'Neel Khamari,' a term coined by local farmers referring to indigo plantations.

The Nilphamari District Lawyer's Association, a long-standing institution, was formally constituted on April 6, 1894, following a meeting of local lawyers. The meeting was presided over by Mr. Babu Kailash Chandra Bandyopadhyay and attended by Babu Kedar Nath Chatropadhyay, Barda Shankar Chakraborty, Gopal Chandra Chatropadhyay, Janaki Nath Biswas, and Braj Kumar Bhattacharya. Over the time, Nilphamari transformed from a sub-district into a district, the association evolved into a District bar association.

Maulvi Kachiruddin Ahmed, the first Muslim lawyer in Nilphamari district, was elected to the Bengal Legislative Assembly in 1926. He hailed from Balagram under Jaldhaka police station. Between 1923 and 1949, notable Muslim lawyers like Nashir Uddin Ahmed, Abdul Ghafoor, Azizul Islam, Himmat Ali, Chader Hossain, Nashar Uddin Sarkar, Sahar Uddin Ahmed, Momin Uddin, Moen Uddin Ahmed, Dabir Uddin Ahmad, Darij Uddin Ahmad, and Matiar Rahman Chowdhury began their legal careers in Nilphamari. Prior to the partition of India, the only local Scheduled Hindu advocates were Devendra Nath Sarkar and Khagendra Nath Sarkar.

Since its establishment, the Nilphamari Lawyer's Association has been instrumental in various welfare activities and has played a significant role in movements such as the anti-British movement and the language movement of 1952. In 1899, four delegates from the local Bar Association attended the Provincial Bar Conference in Calcutta. 

In 1903, the Nilphamari Lawyers Association organized an event to celebrate the coronation of the Emperor of India. The association congratulated Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee upon his elevation to Acting Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court in 1920. During 1942-1945, the association protested against the rising prices of essential goods. On February 26, the association offered condolences to those martyred on February 21, 1952, for advocating Bengali as the national language. During the 1965 Indo-Pak war, the Bar Association actively protested and took a stance. In 1974, amidst a severe famine, the association conducted relief work for the affected population.

The centenary of the Nilphamari District Bar Association was celebrated on April 15, 1994. Justice Mostafa Kamal of the Appellate Division of the Bangladesh Supreme Court graced the event as the chief guest, alongside special guests Justice Md. Ismail Uddin Sarkar of the Appellate Division and Justices Md. Ansar Ali and Md. Abdul Mannan of the High Court Division.

Over the years, Nilphamari's legal landscape has evolved significantly. Nilphamari became a district, and in 1984, the Nilphamari District Judge's Court was established, with Shikdar Md. Maqbul Haque serving as the first District and Session Judge. Currently, Mr. Md. Mahmudul Karim is serving as the 17th District and Sessions Judge. After the separation of Judiciary, Mr. Md. Mansoor Alam became the first Chief Judicial Magistrate. Presently, Mr. Md. Saiful Islam is serving as the 6th Chief Judicial Magistrate. The Nilphamari Lawyer's Association now consists of 224 members and remains dedicated to bringing judicial services to the people.