The first day of virtual court operations at the Bangladesh Supreme Court on Wednesday saw disposal of 177 cases and hearing of 707 cases via virtual attendance with the Appellate and High Court Divisions of the apex court.
However, hearings saw a sharp decline in the number of cases heard under the new system while Supreme Court lawyers have set a 28 April deadline, demanding withdrawal of the virtual court arrangement.
Supreme Court (SC) spokesperson Md Shafiqul Islam said on Thursday. “The daily cause list of cases suitable for virtual hearing and the virtual meeting ID are published on the Supreme Court website for both divisions, including the Chamber Judge Court,” he said.
In total, the Appellate Division, which includes the Chamber Judge Court, heard 95 cases, disposing of 21 cases, while the High Court Division handled 612 cases and disposed of 156.
The Supreme Court administration announced on April 20 that hearings would be held virtually in the Supreme Court on Wednesdays and Thursdays until further notice.
Officials say the move is aimed at conserving energy and reducing government expenditure amidst the ongoing global economic situation.
Sharp decline in hearings
The first day of virtual hearings saw a sharp decline in the number of cases heard under the new system. On 21 April, prior to the shift to virtual hearings, a total of 2,677 cases were heard across both divisions of the Supreme Court through physical presence. By contrast, only 707 cases were heard on 22 April, the first day of virtual hearings, marking a drastic drop of over 73 percent.
Lawyers and observers are raising concerns that this significant decrease in hearings could exacerbate the country’s already growing backlog of pending cases, which stands at more than 4.7 million. Some worry that the backlog could soon surpass five million if the current trend persists, adding further pressure on litigants and delaying justice. Senior lawyer Syed Mamun Mahbub voiced concerns about the efficacy of virtual hearings, saying, “Physical hearings result in higher disposal of cases. Virtual proceedings may increase harassment of litigants and will not reduce the case backlog.”
Lawyers give ultimatum to withdraw virtual court system
The introduction of virtual hearings has sparked protests among lawyers, who argue that the system is unsuitable for handling the country’s growing case load. They claim that the virtual setup introduces delays, procedural errors, and difficulties in correcting mistakes during hearings.
Supreme Court lawyers have set a deadline for the chief justice, demanding the withdrawal of the virtual court system, warning of a sit-in programme on the court premises if their demand is not met.
If the virtual court system is not withdrawn by Tuesday, 28 April, lawyers will observe a sit-in programme with black flags from Wednesday, Mahbubur Rahman Khan, former assistant secretary of the Bar Association, said at a rally following a black flag procession at the Supreme Court premises on Thursday noon.
Speaking at the rally, senior Supreme Court lawyer Syed Mamun Mahbub said, “The country’s judiciary is the principal place for preserving the rule of law, human rights and the fundamental rights of citizens. This must be kept operational even overcoming the crisis of oil, gas or other things.”
The senior lawyer also noted that both lawyers and litigants are suffering due to fewer case hearings taking place in the virtual court system.
