Gulam Rabbani :
It is indeed a matter of great success that the digital system has already been introduced in the judiciary of Bangladesh. But still now many functions have to be done in the traditional way.
This partial digitization of the judiciary is embarrassing the litigants and the lawyers in many cases. The concerned officials and the lawyers therefore want digitization of the whole process.
Supreme Court lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan said he prefers the regular courts as there are a lot of problems with the virtual courts in conducting a case.
Virtual hearings are disrupted some times because of power cuts, said the lawyer adding that many lawyers could not join the hearing due to weak internet speed.
Functions of the regular courts could be introduced in full phase maintaining the social distance, added the lawyer.
Barrister Md Abdul Halim, a Supreme Court lawyer, said, “A case has many functions. Only hearings are being held by the courts in virtual system. Everything else is being done through traditional system in physical presence. This is increasing sufferings of the lawyers.”
“I am not against the virtual system. However, many more initiatives need to be taken to reduce harassment of the lawyers and the litigants,” added the lawyer.
In virtual system, hearing of a case could not be held properly sometimes due to internet problems or power outages, he said.
Although the digitalization of the judiciary has been planed for a long time. The first virtual court was introduced on May 11 last year following coronavirus pandemic.
Prion to that President Md Abdul Hamid approved an ordinance on the use of information technology by courts for holding trials, hearings and taking digital evidence using technology and virtual appearances of parties and lawyers.
Due to the awfulness of the coronavirus situation, only a few virtual courts were functional initially. Later some physical courts were also opened considering the interest of the lawyers following the health guidelines.
Now lawyers are filing cases with both types of courts, virtual and physical. But still now many of the functions of the virtual court have to be done through traditional system in physical presence. It is exposing threat to the judges, lawyers, staff and litigants for COVID-19 infection.
Lawyers, court staffs and litigants demanded that all activities of the virtual courts should be held electronically for the protection against coronavirus infection and delivery of quick services to the litigants.
Number of Covid-19 infection has increased alarmingly in the recent days. A total of 34 people died from Covid-19 in 24 hours (till 8.00am on Thursday), according to a press release issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
At least 3,587 new infections were recorded in the meantime taking the total number of people infected to 5,84,395, added the release. This is the highest number of infections recorded in the span of a day in the last nine months.
Until December 27, 2020, a total of 181 judges and 420 employees of lower courts and the Supreme Court tested positive for COVID-19, said SC spokesperson Mohammad Saifur Rahman.
