The situation is getting frustrating and difficult for the 32 people as most of them have already crossed the age limit for the public job.

"I sat the 24th BCS as well and went almost all the way through. But at the viva voce when I told the board about my being selected in the 22nd BCS [Bangladesh Civil Service], they disqualified me from the exams. They said as I already have secured the government job, I can no longer sit for the BCS," said one of those chosen to be assistant judges.

This is true also of the rest. "I wonder what makes the government keep our appointments pending when many of the posts [assistant judges'] remain vacant," he said requesting not to be named.

Bangladesh Judicial Service Commission recommended appointments of 57 people as assistant judge. A total of 70 were primarily selected on August 4 last year.

Following the recommendation, summaries of the 57 picked for the posts were sent to the Prime Minister's Office. But the law ministry was directed to send dossiers of 25 and those were appointed on August 27 this year.

"The question arises also as to why the Prime Minister's Office wanted only the summaries of 25,"said another one awaiting the appointment.

While asked, Law Minister Barrister Moudud Ahmed said bureaucratic complexities have caused the delay in the appointments of the rest [of 57]. "It needs time to prepare the files, doesn't it?" he told The Daily Star.

The minister also said 210 posts of assistant judge remain vacant while appointments to 140 of those are in the process.