‘Virtual courts need to be taken forward’
A full bench of Supreme Court's Appellate Division started judicial functions virtually from yesterday to hear and dispose of urgent cases after four months.
The six-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, began proceedings at 10am and continued till 1:15pm.
At the beginning, the chief justice said the virtual court system needs to be taken forward. The bench of the Appellate Division will operate judicial functions on Monday and Thursday in a week.
If the virtual proceedings get successful, the apex court bench will operate for five working days every week, he said.
Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain appreciated and thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Law Minister Anisul Huq for taking necessary measures to convert the Usage of Information and Communication Technology in Court 2020 Ordinance into a permanent law allowing the country's courts to run judicial functions virtually, Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan, a Supreme Court lawyer, who attended the virtual court proceedings, told The Daily Star.
Attorney General Mahbubey Alam and Supreme Court Bar Association President Advocate AM Amin Uddin also welcomed the apex court for beginning the virtual court proceedings.
Yesterday, the Appellate Division heard and disposed of two cases although 20 cases were included in the cause list, Khurshid said.
Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan, also the editor of Dhaka Law Reports, said the regular activities of courts need to reopen strictly following the health guidelines for the interest of lawyers and litigants.
More than 90 percent lawyers cannot connect the virtual court proceedings and therefore they cannot provide service, he opined.
The chief justice on July 12 has decided to run virtual proceedings at the Appellate Division, strictly following health guidelines.
A full bench of the Appellate Division last conducted proceedings on March 12. Then the SC's Appellate and High Court divisions went on an annual vacation.
The chief justice declared general holiday for all courts across the country from March 26 due to coronavirus pandemic.
Meanwhile, Justice Md Nuruzzaman, an Appellate Division judge, has been holding hearings and disposing of cases as the division's chamber judge throughout the period.
On July 8, the chief justice at a full court meeting decided to continue running virtual functions of the Appellate and HC divisions until the situation improves.
The meeting decided that the chief justice will constitute at least four to five division benches of the HC, so they can act with judicial powers like that of regular division benches.
Chief Justice Mahmud Hossain will increase the number of single judge HC benches from the existing 13 to hear and dispose of more cases.
Everything will be done after necessary logistical support, including internet and server facilities, are ensured.
The chief justice also decided to assign all judges of the HC division to conduct virtual court functions by rotation.
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