Staff Reporter :
An application has been sent to the Chief Justice demanding formation of an online High Court Bench to issue some immediate directions on enforcement of government directives and WHO guidelines for prevention and protection from spreading up of coronavirus.
Two Supreme Court lawyers, Barrister Md Abdul Halim and Advocate Ishrat Hasan, on behalf of a rights organization, “The Children’s Charity Bangladesh Foundation (CCB Foundation)”, sent the letter on Saturday.
The letter said, although the sitting of the Supreme Court Benches is suspended because of the deadly virus, the Constitution, the supreme law of the land, does not allow to suspend the provisions of the fundamental rights of the people and there must be some avenues, either virtual or online, to hear petitions for better protection of their precious lives.
Although the doors of the apex court have been closed, the window of justice and protection of fundamental rights should, under no circumstances, be shut down, also read the letter.
The letter prayed to issue a Suo Moto (voluntary) rule upon the respondents to explain as to why directions shall not be passed to take immediate steps to enforce directives outlined in the gazette notification of the government issued on April 16 and to enforce social distance and lockdown.
The letter also sought to issue a rule upon the respondents to explain as to why the Bangladesh Bank shall not be directed to pass necessary orders so that maximum monetary transactions can be done through online system with their debit or credit cards.
It also prayed to know in the rule as to why the RAB, Police and Army shall not be directed to follow the WHO guidelines and directives of the government in enforcing social distance and lockdown and at the same time distributing foods and essentials among the people at home and completing funeral of dead bodies of corona patients being inadequate, inconsistent and contradictory to protection of right to life guaranteed under Article 32 of the Constitution of Bangladesh.
Pending hearing of the rule, the letter senders prayed for issuing directions upon the respondents to distribute foods, essentials commodities, medicine and relief from the government and other bodies through RAB, Police and Army in accordance with the mandatory requirements of the government circular for keeping social distance and maintaining safety and security everywhere following WHO guidelines strictly.
They also prayed to issue directions upon the TCB (Trading Corporation of Bangladesh) to distribute OMS sales through different outlets with the help of the law enforcement agencies and keeping social distance.
The letter also prayed to issue directions upon the respondents to provide and/or establish immediate basis institutional isolation centres and testing centres in every district without any failure.
It also sought directions upon the Bangladesh Bank to instruct all schedule banks to increase the amount transaction of online encashment with a view to avoiding gathering at branches.
