Gazette published allowing virtual court

The government has published a gazette notification to introduce virtual courts as a measure toward resuming regular court activities amid the Covid-19 lockdown in Bangladesh.

The Law ministry on Saturday published the gazette notification of the ordinance titled “Usage of Information and Communication Technology in Court 2020” following approval from the President.

As the nationwide lockdown to contain the Covid-19 outbreak in the country continues, all courts of the country remained closed for nearly two months. People were not getting due services and proceedings as a lot of cases remained pending.

Considering the matter, the cabinet on Thursday approved the ordinance to allow courts to work digitally via videoconference.

According to section 93(1) of the constitution which gives power to the President of the state, and Abdul Hamid issued the ordinance accordingly.

Any kind of court can serve orders, judgments, holds trial, inquiry, appellate hearings, arguments, evidence placement after ensuring virtual presence of justice seeking groups or their lawyers and eyewitnesses through audio, video or any electronic medium, the ordinance added.

However, the rules of the High Court still need to be amended to set up a virtual court.

A five-member committee, headed by senior justice of High Court Division Farah Mahbub, has already been formed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain in this regard.

According to the law, there will be no legal obstacles to use technologies in judicial services after the committee will prepare a set of rules.

The new ordinance includes 5 sections.