ZCZC
BSS-20
CABINET-LAW-TRIAL
Cabinet okays law to hold trials digitally
DHAKA, May 7, 2020 (BSS) – The cabinet today approved an ordinance
allowing the courts to hold trails digitally using the information technology
in view of the coronavirus pandemic.
It also gave final approval to “The Value Added Tax and Supplementary Duty
(Amendment) Act, 2020” and “The Income-tax Amendment Ordinance, 2020” in its
weekly meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair held at her
official Ganabhaban residence here this morning.
“It is necessary to formulate a legal framework to keep continuing the
trial process in the courts digitally or through video conference using
information technology as the stockpiles of pending cases are on the rise due
to the nationwide shutdown over the COVID-19 pandemic” Cabinet Secretary
Khandker Anwarul Islam told a news briefing at his Bangladesh Secretariat
office here this afternoon.
So, the cabinet has finally approved the Information Technology Usage
Ordinance by the Court, 2020, he said, adding that once the ordinance comes
into force, trials could be held digitally without having physical presence
of lawyers and their clients in the courts.
The ordinance was brought to the cabinet for its approval as the public
and private organizations, without some exception, have been declared shut
for the last one month due to the situation arising out the COVID-19
pandemic, he opined.
He said that due to the shutdown, the litigants have also long been
deprived of getting the justice alongside the increase in the number of
pending cases.
More/AHJ/GA/1627 hrs