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.
The cabinet also finally notified “The Income-tax (Amendment) Ordinance,
2020” allowing the taxpayers to pay their taxes without any penalty and
interest as they have failed to pay taxes in due time as per the existing law
for the reason that all the official activities of the income-tax department
have remained suspended since March 26 last over the coronavirus pandemic,
the cabinet secretary said.
He continued that failure of collection of revenue as per the existing law
has created legal responsibilities for both the taxpayers and income tax
authorities, he said, adding that a section 184Ja would be added to the
existing Income-Tax Ordinance 1984 to give them exemption from the legal
responsibilities on the ground of epidemic, pandemic, war and any other acts
of God like situations.
In accordance with the proposed section, the Board of Revenue could cut
the period of time that arises out of the coronavirus like situation and
extend the time limit to pay their taxes, he said.
The government’s top bureaucrat said the cabinet gave final nod to
“The Value Added Tax and Supplementary Duty (Amendment) Act, 2020” with
adding a sub section (3) after section 64 (2) of the existing law of 2012 to
allow the Board of Revenue to extend the time limit for submission of the
return regarding VAT without penalty and interest in case of any natural
disaster, pandemic and emergency situation whatever is in the sub section 1
(of section 64).
He continued that the amendment has been proposed as the FBCCI and other
organizations have requested the government to extend the time limit for
submission of returns as most of the business establishments have failed to
submit their returns despite the VAT offices remained open across the country
from April 12 to 15 amid the coronavirus pandemic.