Staff Reporter :
A group of Supreme Court lawyers on Sunday submitted a memorandum to the Chief Justice demanding at least 35 virtual benches in the High Court division of the Supreme Court for disposing of the cases during the ongoing restrictions imposed following the new surge in the novel coronavirus.
In the memorandum, the lawyers’ group, under the banner of ‘Sadharan Ainjibi Oikya Parishad’, also demanded to take initiatives for the hearing in all kinds of lower courts including the tribunals and district and sessions judge’s courts.
They also requested to take initiatives for the accused to surrender in the magistrate courts, to hold hearing on the bail petitions, and to file new cases during the arising situation.
Momtaz Uddin Ahmed Mehedi, Convener of the ‘Sadharan Ainjibi Oikya Parishad’ and also former secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) submitted the memorandum to the office of the Chief Justice. Later the lawyers’ group formed a human chain program on the Supreme Court premises demanding the same.
Advocate Momtaz Uddin said, “The constitutional court of a country cannot be completely closed in any way. The court must be kept open to ensure justice for the justice seeking people. The Supreme Court authority has the capacity to run minimum 35 virtual benches.”
Advocate Mamun Mahbub, Advocate Rafiqul Haque Talukder Raja, Advocate Masud Rana and Advocate AR Raihan, among others, were present at the human chain program.
On April 4 this year, Chief Justice Syed Mahmud
Hossain decided to run the court functions on a limited scale for seven days from April 5. The Supreme Court administration issued three separate notifications to this effect.
Meanwhile, in the last week the leaders of the district bar associations of Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet had sent letters to the Chief Justice appealing to open the trial proceedings of the lower courts across the country amid the ongoing restrictions.
Letters from Chattogram and Sylhet were sent on April 7 and Dhaka Bar Association’s letter was sent on April 5, sources said.
