The Attorney General's office suggested closure of the Bench due to shortage of cases, they said.

Employees of different government offices, autonomous bodies and nationalised banks expressed their unhappiness over the planned closure.

Administrative tribunals were first set up in Dhaka and Bogra to dispose of departmental allegations.

In 1984, cases of nationalised banks were also placed under the disposal of these tribunals.

During the period of the caretaker government in 20021, benches of the tribunals were opened in all divisional

headquarters.

Within two years, the Barisal Bench tried 60 cases. Ten cases are pending.

Quick disposal of the cases was highly appreciated by people.

Some government officials this correspondent talked to said

the tribunal need not be closed due to less number of cases. They suggested that the number may increased by expanding the jurisdiction of the tribunal and allowing it to take up other types of cases.

Government officials will suffer if the Bench is closed, they said.